Forbidden
by Psychic Prince
Summary: AU; When two princes of warring kingdoms accidentally fall in love, they know that they are forbidden from each other. However, this simple love holds great mystery, joy, and sorrow... IkexMarth
1. Two Princes

**Hey there! I don't know why, but I keep coming up with all these ideas for IkexMarth fanfics... -_-''' Anyhow, this is set in ancient Korea, in the times of the Later Three Kingdoms... Or rather, maybe when Baekje was defeated... Yes, I know SSBB is mainly Japanese or whatnot, and most of the game characters are Japanese, but I found that SSBB was also released in South Korea as well... And besides, I love my home country! Why not write a fanfic about the Later Three Kingdoms? If you wish to know, the Later Three Kingdoms were Goryeo, Shilla, and Baekje. As this is AU, and not real, the character's hair colors will stay the same, like blue, blond, etc., although Asians have dark hair and eyes too... Their names will remain the same, of course... Non-Korean names, but, oh well! Gotta love fanfiction! Ah... Also, this was inspired by two of my favorite Korean dramas, _Gye-baek _and _The Moon that Embraces the Sun_. I'll explain some more Korean things later... After you read! Enjoy!**

A small figure stood on the sturdy stone bridge, gazing up at the moon, a luminescent pearl in the distant, dark waters of the sky. Beneath the bridge, a pond full of fragrant water lilies reflected the night sky. Nearby, a cherry blossom tree stood, its pale petals twirling about the figure in the night. It was a young boy, his eyes wide and unforgiving. His delicate, small hands were clenched around his long, blue silk _hanbok_, embroidered with prancing silver dragons. Although he was a very handsome boy, there was something about him that seemed weak, sickly. His narrow face was somewhat gaunt, his slimness appeared almost skeletal up-close, and his fists trembled, only succeeding in crushing the dragons beneath his grip.

And yet, there was something even more surprising. Although his hair was clearly black, it shone blue, and his eyes were a blazing sapphire. Even more shocking, his hair was cropped to his chin, a crime in the kingdom of Shilla.

Letting go of his _hanbok_, the boy stretched a palm out to catch a falling blossom. In the wind, it quivered in his hand for a moment before he closed his palm, crushing the delicate petal. A rustling noise behind him ensued, and he whipped around.

"Crown Prince! You must not be out here in your condition!"his faithful attendant called worriedly. She held a lantern in her hands, glowing softly, and her plain robe was almost dragging along in the dirt.

He laughed, a dry, raspy one. "Should I not make the most of the rest of my short, miserable life?"

_In my condition... Yes, I will die very soon._

…

A woman in a pure white _hanbok _sat in front of a shallow wooden bowl, her eyes closed. Her dark brown hair was pulled back into a high bun, a single, humble _binyo _adorning it. She was hidden from her customer by a thin, pale pink veil, but she already knew who it was, and what he wanted.

"Your Majesty,"she murmured, "You wish to heal your son, Crown Prince Marth."

The figure in front of her shifted slightly. She could feel an aura of worry and unrest about the King of Shilla. "Yes."

"He has been struck with a terrible disease." She threw a white powder into the bowl rather violently, and a mist floated up from it, forming horrid shapes. "The Shaman's Sickness. I can heal it, but at a price. The Shaman's Sickness calls for war and bloodshed, and the memories of the sickened person."

She heard the king take in a sharp gasp. He quickly regained his composure. "What are you implying? If I, for instance, laid siege on Baekje... Would it be enough to cure this... Illness?"

The shaman shook her head grimly. "The Shaman's Sickness is an extremely rare one, and once someone catches it, they are sure to die. Indeed, this illness is nearly incurable, as it is so powerful. A dark spirit slowly enters the victim, slowly killing them from the inside, weakening them. This disease is only hungry for violence, but the experience of having it is so horrifying, the memories of the ill person must be erased."

She could see the king hesitate, but as he opened his mouth, she knew what he would say.

_He loves his son very much, and wishes to save him..._

Behind her veil, the shaman's eyes flashed. "As you wish, Your Majesty."

…

_I hate this world._

Marth's face held a grim look as he reached down and plucked a single, pure white flower from the Palace Garden, and he held it in his fingers, twirling it about. The sun beat down on his dark hair, not helping with the fact that his thick blue _hanbok _was sweltering hot as well.

_I'm sure to die._

He stopped twirling the flower in his fingers, and closed his fist around it. The flower was effectively crushed, and Marth opened his palm up to let the remains float away in the wind. Suddenly, the feeling came over him again, that dark, cloudy, choking feeling that overtook his heart every time.

Marth violently coughed, his hand clutching his chest, now kneeling in the dirt. A thick, choking blackness was slowly enveloping him, and his eyes rolled, closing, as he suffocated. His right hand continued to clutch his heart, while the other clawed at the dirt beneath him, breathing laboriously.

_This is the end! I am sure of it!_

His struggles grew weaker, his coughs subsiding, his body jerking in weak spasms.

_G-Goodbye..._

The prince barely registered that a woman suddenly appeared in front of him, in all white, her face holding an incredible calm. She stooped down to gaze at him, and put her hand to his forehead.

"I am the Shaman Zelda. You're in safe hands now,"she purred, and with those words, Marth collapsed to the floor, limp, and the world went black.

…

The prince of Baekje scowled at the sun, like a blazing egg yolk balancing on the horizon. His black eyes shone blue, and he clenched his fists, crushing the golden dragons that danced on the midnight-blue silk of his _hanbok_. Strangely enough, his hair was extremely short and choppy, and it was a dark blue too, adorned with a deep green headband. His tall, muscular frame was outlined by the sun's rising rays, and he squinted against the brightness.

_Shilla will pay for even _trying_ to attack _my _kingdom._

Briskly, he set off to join the battle that ensued just outside the capital's walls. Putting on all of the armor was rather tedious, and he scowled again. An aura of calm fury and power surrounded him, and the soldiers, ready to go into battle, bowed deeply, all at his command.

A general with blond hair walked up to him, his expression grim. He bowed, and the prince's scowl deepened to see that the general's leg was wrapped in a white linen, obviously injured, and his sword was stained red. "Crown Prince Ike,"the general said, "Our forces are weakening, and-"

Ike stopped him with a wave of his hand. "The Shilla's forces will not get far, General Link. They will only pass into the capital over my dead body. We will hold an ambush now."

Link bowed deeply again. "Yes, Crown Prince."

The prince of Baekje mounted his horse, and, leading his army, rose up against the Shilla's forces.

The fighting was brutal, and Ike was an incredible warrior. Using his power, he easily picked off Shilla's soldiers, slicing and stabbing them with his sword. Archers sent volleys of flaming arrows into the crowd of Shilla soldiers, killing the victims instantly. An occasional spear or two was thrown, but most of the fighting was done with swords, and generals and soldiers slashing at each other. The Baekje army was driving Shilla back, and eventually, their enemies retreated, leaving their fight for another day.

_Cowards. How dare they retreat?!_

Ike's jaw was set in a hard line, his eyes sharp and alert. He was unharmed, his dark cape only ripped and his headband in a fray. Link reappeared next to him, looking triumphant. He gestured towards the horrendous battlefield, albeit a bit sadly as well.

"Your Majesty, we've won this time."

"Just because we won the battle does not mean that we've won the war,"Ike growled, and stalked away.

…

Zelda gazed up at the sky, her eyes wide. The forest was silent, only the leaves rustling in the wind. A thick mist rolled about her, taking on strange shapes. The air was crisp and cold, but the shaman didn't seem to notice. She stared at the mist now, and almost shrieked when she saw the shapes that took place.

A crescent shape, then a round one, surrounded by more thick mist, which seemed dark and heavy.

_On the solar eclipse, fate will take a turn, the moon will remember, and bloodshed will occur after the moon embraces the sun._

A small noise startled Zelda out of her thoughts, and her eyes flashed.

Zelda looked up to see her "apprentice" standing before her, looking confused.

"Zelda? I keep having strange visions... Who could it be about? Who's memories am I seeing?"her apprentice begged, his sapphire eyes flashing desperately. He put a hand to his heart, and took a deep breath. "Is this a part of connecting to the spirits?"

The shaman blinked, shocked.

_He's not supposed to remember! It has been ten years since I took away a mere ten-year-old's memories away, and saved his life... Shilla and Baekje have been in a raging war since then. Was it all worth it? To save this boy's life? And yet, I feel that he is special..._

"Y-Yes. It is,"she lied bluntly. Then, he asked a question that surprised her even further.

"When will I ever know my name?"he asked innocently.

"Why?"

"It's just that... I feel as if I don't have my own identity. For as long as I remember, I've been nameless. I just want to know who I really am, what purpose I serve in this world. I'm a loner, the only boy shaman apprentice. Why is this so?"

_You do have a name, my dear Crown Prince Marth. You truly do. I cannot change fate, and soon, it will be time to know your true identity._

She sighed, and stared up at the moon. "Soon, my dear. Soon, you will find the answers to all of your questions."

Zelda picked up her possessions, and started to walk into the thinner area of the woods, and turned back to glance at her apprentice.

"Where are we going, Zelda?"

She paused, staring up at the sky. "To meet up with fate."

…

Ike sighed, climbing up a hill, if only to stare up at the full moon. Yet another battle had gone by, and Baekje was winning, thanks to him. Suddenly, he wondered how the people of Shilla felt. They had no prince, and the king was getting old.

According to the rumors, the prince had fallen seriously ill ten years ago, and soon after, went missing, and this sent the king into a grief-stricken state. Believing that Baekje was somehow hiding his beloved only son, he'd laid siege on Baekje, and until Ike was old enough to fight, he was kept in the shadows, training to beat Shilla and win the war.

The prince of Baekje frowned as he reached the top of the hill. It seemed as though someone was already there, sleeping in the grass, underneath the dappled shade of a single tree.

At first glance, Ike drew back, startled.

The sleeping figure in the grass was slim and effeminate, with a pale complexion and a pretty face, having thick black eyelashes, a perfect nose, and full lips as well. After a second of consideration, Ike thought it was a girl sleeping there, her face turned up towards the full moon, her right hand resting on her chest where her heart should be. Her _hanbok _seemed like it was for a boy, however, and it was a simple, pure white. Surprisingly, the girl's hair seemed blue, and was chin-length.

He smiled, putting a hand to his own tousled hair. In a sort of rebellion against his father, Ike had cut his blue hair short, leaving it choppy and messy. This person must've been special as well, having the nerve to cut her hair like that...

Ike leaned over the sleeping figure, and, suddenly, lost his balance, falling onto her chest.

"Ah!"the girl cried, grabbing Ike's robes and impulsively pulling him close so that their noses brushed against each other's.

That was when Ike realized that the sleeper was not a girl. It was a young man about his age, and his deep blue eyes bored into Ike's.

The moon shed its weak light over them, and the boy pulled Ike closer, as if not noticing the amount of space between them.

The boy hissed, albeit fearfully and defensively, "Who are you, and what do you want from me?"

**Ahem...**

**Okay, some explaining...  
**

**_Hanbok_: The traditional Korean clothing back then... Like a kimono in Japan or whatever you call it...  
**

**_Binyo: _A traditional Korean hair accessory! So, the women put their hair up, say in a bun, and they put the binyo through the bun. The binyo was gold and silver for the upper class women mostly.  
**

**In ancient Korea, only royalty could have dragons on their hanboks... :3  
**

**A shaman was like a fortuneteller (or what I call, a spiritual creep...).  
**

***cough cough* Reviews please! *cough cough*  
**

**Hope you enjoyed! PM me if you have any further questions about the Later Three Kingdoms and whatnot!  
**

**- Psychic  
**


	2. Dal, My Moon

**Hey there! I'm back, and with the next chapter! I don't own anything, so enjoy!**

Ike didn't know what to say. Excuse me? Who are you? Marry me?

In a sense, he was saved, as the boy's grip on him weakened. The boy suddenly curled up into a ball, clutching his ears and tearing at his hair, gasping in agony. His face flushed, his hands trembling.

Worriedly, Ike bent down over him, and he could barely hear the boy moan, "N-Not again... These... Strange visions... Memories... Who's..." The boy took in a sharp, pained breath as he slowly sank into unconsciousness.

Ike, a little frantic now, scooped the boy up in his arms.

_He's as light as a feather, and so fragile and frail!_

The prince of Baekje gazed at the poor boy as he sprinted down the hill, towards the encampment. Spotting an assortment of tents, all with the familiar symbol of Baekje on them, Ike stumbled down, passing a few soldiers with minor injuries. They looked at him curiously as he ran by. Ike looked down at the pale boy again.

_Where did he come from?_

"Crown Prince!" It was Link. The general looked surprised to see the lithe, limp blue-haired boy cradled in Ike's arms. "Who-"

"Where is the physician?"Ike huffed hurriedly. Link, understanding his panic, pointed to a nearby tent.

…

Ike rode, calm and composed, on his horse, keeping side by side with the palanquin. It had been a day since the boy fell unconscious, and Ike was getting worried. He'd decided to take the boy back to the capital and have the Royal Physician look at him.

The forest around the small group was sunny and bright, the sunlight shining through the leaves, creating a very pretty light green color. Twigs and a few occasional pinecones snapped underneath the men's feet and horse's hooves, and birds sang from the highest branches.

_So peaceful..._

A sudden gasp ensued from inside the palanquin, and the small wooden window flew open, nearly whacking Ike full in the face. The boy peered out wildly, his hair disheveled, and his cheeks flushed. His eyes went wide as he recognized Ike.

"Y-You! You're that crazy man w-who fell on top of me!"he spluttered, pointing his index finger at the prince of Baekje.

Inwardly, Ike chuckled. "Crazy? I think not." He put a finger to the boy's forehead and gently pushed his head back inside of the palanquin. "Stay still. We are almost at the capital."

…

"He seems fine,"the Royal Physician said. He was a man with brown, curly hair, a mustache, and a red robe. His accent was almost foreign as he spoke, "The boy just needed rest, I suppose."

Night had fallen already, the moon shedding its weak light over the magnificent palace of Baekje. The trees whispered in the faint breeze outside, and a single, flickering candle lit Ike's room up with a soft, faint glow. The boy sat on the floor, trembling, as Ike dismissed the physician and turned to the boy.

"What is your name?"Ike gently asked. Although the boy was Ike's age, he seemed extremely terrified and submissive to Ike.

The boy seemed about to cry as he started bowing deeply to Ike. "Forgive me, Your Highness! Forgive me for being so rude to his Highness!"

"That's not what I asked of you,"Ike said firmly, cupping the boy's chin in his hand, "You don't need to apologize; I rather enjoyed your innocence and humor. However, I don't know your name."

This seemed to cause the boy more distress. "I-I don't have a name..."

_No name? How is this so?_

Ike readjusted the sash on his _hanbok _nonchalantly. "In that case, would you like a name?" The boy didn't answer, he only looked confused. "From now on, I shall call you _Dal_."

"D-Dal?"

"Yes. We met under the light of the moon, and,"Ike murmured, "I believe that your purity and beauty is like that of the moon, Dal."

The boy, now Dal, blushed a deep red. "Y-Your Highness...!"

Ike reached over and pressed a finger against his lips, a gesture of silence. "Hush. I only speak the truth."

…

Dal fidgeted nervously nearby the sliding doors. He'd been incredibly rude to the _prince _of_ Baekje_. How much more idiotic could he get? Blushing, he recalled Prince Ike's gentle words.

"_I believe that your purity and beauty is like that of the moon, Dal."_

He shook his head violently, frowning deeply. Dal was a shaman's apprentice. This couldn't happen.

_Shamans are anything but pure and beautiful._

Summoning spirits, telling fortunes, omens, prophecies... Dal didn't know how to do any of this, and yet, Zelda referred to him as her "apprentice". Perhaps it was because he always fetched her supplies, did laundry, some cooking, and he carried around their possessions whenever Zelda felt the need to move. Dal didn't mind, honestly. Zelda had raised him ever since he could remember (he couldn't remember anything past since he was ten years old), and she treated him well, although she could be a bit distant at times.

_I wonder if Zelda is looking for me right now..._

Dal shuddered. What if Zelda was worried sick, looking for him? Did she somehow know that this would happen? He hoped so; Dal was truly happy here now, even as the prince's "attendant".

Prince Ike had asked him to stay by his side as long as Dal didn't have a home to go back to. He'd agreed. After all, Dal wanted to do a favor for the seemingly lonely prince, as he did act rather rude to him when they first met... And yes, he admitted to himself that he did find Prince Ike gentle, kindhearted, and noble as well... Unlike himself. It seemed that Ike was everything that Dal had ever wanted to be. A prince. Good. Strong. Beautiful. He thought about Ike's request yet again, and convinced himself that he made the right decision in becoming the prince's companion.

_Ike had looked thoughtfully at Dal, as if pondering something, a trace of distant loneliness and longing in his eyes. "Dal... If you must go, then you must go. However, if you have no home to go back to, then I beg of you, stay here, by my side. I am sorry to say that I'm terribly lonely and aching for companionship, and there is something about you that sparks a little firework of joy in my heart... Would you like to stay with me?"_

_Dal had blinked in shock. "I-I... But Your Highness! I couldn't possibly-!"he cried, only to stop to look into Ike's deep eyes, looking behind the mask of toughness and seeing only an empty sadness and loneliness. "And yet... I do not have a home..." This was true; he and Zelda moved around constantly. "You were so generous and forgiving to me, Prince Ike! Please, I want to return the favor... Personally, I am a bit lonely myself, growing up as a nomad, not interacting with others my own age..."_

_This seemed to stir something in Ike's heart. The prince nodded sadly, muttering, "I, too, was the same. The noblemen's sons were too mortified of me to even _think _of playing with me. This did sadden me, but I suppose it's made me into what I am now. To be a proud, powerful, and commanding prince. My only 'companion' was Link, the head of the generals, but even then we weren't close; he just respected me and kept his distance most of the time." Ike clenched his jaw. "I must sound like such a fool to you, rambling on about my sappy past like a weakling."_

_Gazing at Ike, Dal murmured, "No, you don't. Don't stop letting out your thoughts, your feelings. I'll stand by you, stay by your side, and be there to listen to your troubles anytime. Do not hesitate to tell me anything that is troubling you, Prince Ike."_

_Ike's eyes softened as he whispered, "Thank you, Dal."_

He was to stay by the prince's side even as he slept, allowed to stay back and either watch or take a quick nap. Dal gazed at Ike, admiring his unkept blue hair spanning out across the round pillow. He noticed Ike's formal robes, neatly folded, nearby, and shuddered. His painful vision, a flashback, came into his mind again.

_A young boy, perhaps in his tenth year, was laughing merrily, as carefree as any boy should be. He didn't seem to notice a dark shadow, slowly creeping up upon him, and even though Dal was standing right there, he seemed to be invisible and no words came from his lips. The boy was wearing a blue _hanbok_, with silver dragons embroidered on it. A child from the Royal Family, obviously._

_There was something strange about the boy, though. His hair... It was black, but seemed blue, and his eyes... His eyes were a brilliant sapphire. In fact, his appearance was rather effeminate, being slender and lean. The boy reminded the Spirit Dal of someone, but at the time, Dal could only freeze in horror as the shadow took a leap, seemingly swallowing the boy up violently..._

That was when Dal had regained consciousness in the palanquin.

_Who's memories am I seeing?_

Somewhat frightened, Dal scooted closer to Ike to comfort himself with the prince's presence. The prince was very handsome, in his opinion, but Dal shook off his thoughts, staring blankly at Ike, who looked so peaceful, the moonlight, the only source of brightness, bathing the room with a silvery glow.

As if possessed, he tentatively reached over, and gently raised his hand to push a stray strand of hair out of Prince Ike's face. The sleeping prince's eyes flew open suddenly, startling Dal as he grabbed his wrist, and, like a viper, twisted around so that the situation turned around.

Dal's eyes widened as Ike smiled in almost an amused way. Now it was him on the floor, staring up at Ike, who's hands were on the sides of Dal's shoulders, pinning him down.

"Thought you could sneak up on me, eh?"

**Whoo!**

**Okay, just to let you know...  
**

**_Dal _(달) means "moon" in Korean, if you haven't figured that out yet... :D  
**

**I'll be using "Dal" as Marth's name for the next few chapters, as he doesn't even know his own name yet... Although Zelda will refer to him as "Marth". Just to clear up any misunderstandings.  
**

**Please review!  
**

**- Psychic  
**


	3. Spiritual Boy

**Hullo! The third chapter is up! I have nothing to do, so I updated faster! Just to make it clear, the characters don't really have feelings for each other _that _much yet; don't worry, I'll make it more prominent in upcoming chapters! Enjoy!**

"Y-Your Majesty! I-I didn't mean it that way! I just-!"Dal stammered, his eyes wide. For some reason, his heart was hammering against his chest as he stared up at Ike's half-scowling, half-amused expression.

"I'm sure you didn't,"Ike said lightly, "I just wanted to scare you."

Out of respect, Dal resisted the urge to throw the prince off of his chest, although it might've been impossible, as he was physically weak, and the prince of Baekje seemed to be a powerful person. "S-Scare me, Sire?"

"Mm. A prince can have a good laugh in a while, can't he?"

"But Sire..."Dal objected wryly, "You didn't laugh, correct?"

At that obvious comment, Ike chuckled. "Indeed." He rolled away from Dal and plopped down on the sheets beside him.

Dal made a hasty movement to get up and return to his original post by the door, but the prince stopped him, gently laying him back down and using his palm to close Dal's eyelids.

"Sleep,"Ike murmured, "I find it strangely uncomfortable to have a living guard sitting beside my door. Besides, I am a war general. I can fend for myself."

"But-!"

"Shh..." The prince closed his eyes as well, letting out a small sigh. "Besides, you cannot go without rest, Dal."

…

A loud shriek sounded throughout the palace walls, followed by a painful slapping noise. Ike's eyes flew open and he sat upright quickly.

Peach, his hardworking attendant and servant, loomed over a cowering Dal. Her pale pink _hanbok _made a faint rustling noise as she rushed between Ike and Dal defensively.

"Crown Prince! Are you alright?! I found this- this _vermin _sleeping next to you, doing _who knows what_-"

Dal whimpered and tugged on Peach's sleeve, only to get harshly slapped across the cheek. He quickly recovered once again and bowed fervently to Peach once again. "F-Forgive me, miss! I only-!"

"Stop!"Ike growled, standing. "Peach, leave him alone. He's my companion, and I _made_ him sleep here, understood?"

"But-"

Ike took a step forward and waved his hands, ushering the now-submissive servant out of his quarters. Once she was gone, he knelt down before Dal and peered at him. He had two red marks across both of his cheeks, and his eyes were starting to water a bit. Dal bit his lip and looked away from Ike.

"I-I'm sorry, Your Highness. Please forgive me,"he whispered miserably, "I shouldn't have given in to you. I should've objected to your generous offer... All my fault..."

Ike shook his head. "It is my fault, so stop blaming yourself for this incident. You got hurt, and I suppose that was my fault as well."

"N-No! It is not!" Dal violently shook his head and bolted straight up, his head crashing into Ike's chin.

He fell backwards with a small cry while Ike simply kneeled there, rubbing his chin.

"... Ouch."

"Your Highness!"Dal cried, scrambling to his knees and bowing deeply to Ike. "I didn't mean to! Forgive me! Forgive me!" Wincing, he touched a tentative hand to his head.

Ike sighed, "It is okay. It was an accident, and it's nothing to fret over." Thoughtfully, he rubbed his chin. "You do have a rather hard head, I must say..."

"Excuse me for having a hard head! I will try to make it softer!"

"How so?"Ike laughed.

"I..." Dal frowned and rubbed his head of disheveled hair. "I don't know."

Chuckling some more, Ike gestured for Dal to stand. "Come. There are many things to do today. Baekje attacks Shilla's forces today, and I do not wish to miss out on this."

…

Defeating Shilla's encampment was easy. Almost too easy.

Ike turned this thought over in his mind as he strode back into the Baekje camp.

Indeed, the battle was easily won by Baekje. Their cavalry had attacked from the front, while swordsmen attacked from the sides and back. The ambush was simple, really, with a simple surrounding tactic. Ike had easily picked off Shilla's soldiers, sometimes not even one by one, without a single scratch on top of it. The archers were well-trained and aimed well, but it seemed that this group of Shilla soldiers were inexperienced, which made it all the easier for Baekje. For some reason, they'd chosen a vulnerable place to camp, not to mention in a wet, muddy, marshy area. Ike wondered why.

Link came up to him, looking pleased. "That was fairly easy, was it not?"

"Almost too easy,"Ike grumbled.

"Ah, Prince Ike. Learn to appreciate what's happened. I suppose it is good for us,"Link chided calmly, "And... Perhaps you should wash up. The mud has dirtied your face and clothing, it seems."

"I see."

Sure enough, Ike's armor was splotched with dried mud, and his face, hands, and in fact, the other parts of his body that were visible were also covered in mud, along with his cape and tunic.

Ike spied a small face peering out from inside his tent, and the figure suddenly rushed out to greet him, bowing deeply in the process.

"Sire! You are safe!"Dal chirped happily, then bit his lip as he stared at Ike's condition. "Ah... Sire... You are... quite muddy... and dirty... Must I say more?"

"Okay, okay,"Ike huffed, "I'll wash up, so just leave me alone about it, alright?"

"Yes, Sire! There is a lake near to here..."

The lake was a beautiful sight, Ike had to admit. Pine trees gave the surrounding area a crisp, fresh scent, and the sun beat down on the lake's smooth surface. The shore was sandy, with a few rocks surrounding the lake, and Ike could hear birds faintly chirping in the distance. Sure enough, the prince grudgingly walked to the clear lake and proceeded to nonchalantly remove his clothing, not caring a single bit that Dal was standing right behind him.

"Your Majesty! Have you not any shame?!"Dal cried, whipping around quickly and shielding his eyes.

Ike shrugged nonchalantly, and sank into the lake's rippling waters, shivering. "It's cold."

Dal turned back around, and grinned sweetly. "Indeed, sire. Fall is approaching us, and the waters are colder. Alas, you must wash up in these cold waters because you took no care in keeping yourself clean during battle, and-"

"I get it,"Ike grumbled, and Dal stopped talking. "Can you clean my back? I can't reach there..."

"Certainly, sire!" A splashing sound ensued; Dal had entered the lake, still in his full clothing. The water was beginning to soak up in his robe.

"... Your clothes are wet."

"I must not embarrass and disgrace you, Your Majesty; no, that wouldn't do at all!"Dal said matter-of-factly, "Do not fret, my clothes will dry quickly."

Ike grit his teeth as Dal splashed freezing water on his back, humming contentedly to himself. The wind blew through the trees, making it all the more cold, and Ike shuddered involuntarily. Dal seemed to understand, as he stopped splashing water across Ike's back and resolved to rubbing the dirt off instead.

"Filthy, filthy,"Dal muttered, rubbing furiously at a spot of mud on the back of Ike's neck.

"Pardon?"

Dal drew back, embarrassed. "Well, Sire, I can only speak the truth to you..."

"Oh, you shameless boy,"Ike admonished, resisting the urge to turn around and flick Dal on the forehead. However, then that wouldn't be very prince-like, and to be honest, Ike didn't want to embarrass Dal any further.

"F-Forgive me..."

"No, I rather enjoy your slip of tongue,"Ike sighed, "People have always looked up to me, respected me, treated me like someone that they couldn't be equal to. They've always spoke to me that way, and I get tired of it. I want to speak to someone normally as equals, laugh, have fun as we speak. Like friends. Even when I marry, my own spouse will speak to me as if speaking to God himself. My whole life, I've wanted someone to comfortably talk to me and understand me, like a true friend, a true lover. Somehow, I can only find that kind of honest quality in you, Dal."

Dal stopped erasing dirt from Ike's neck. "Sire, I-"

"And no, I didn't mean that I _love _you or anything,"Ike said hastily.

"Ah, no, Sire, I wouldn't dream of it..."Dal murmured. Ike didn't exactly know what, but something hung beneath the lightheartedness of Dal's words. He couldn't put his finger on it.

…

Dal left Ike to finish washing up, then returned to shore, dripping wet, to see what could be done about the prince's clothing.

The armor seemed to be easy enough to clean, but Ike's robes were extremely muddied, and Dal pondered on what to do. He supposed that he would just resolve to washing the clothes; he had plenty of practice with housework, as Zelda was constantly busy.

Dumping the articles of clothing in the water and scrubbing at them, Dal absentmindedly thought of his Spiritual Mother once more.

_I wonder, is she worried about me at all? What would she say if she found out that I am the prince of Baekje's companion?_

As he took the clothes out of the water to dry, he looked for something to beat the clothes with. Ike's sword lay nearby, covered in its sheath, and Dal prayed that Ike wouldn't mind if he used it.

Taking the sword, he laid the clothes out in a pile on top of a rock, and took the flat edge of the sheath, slapping it against the cloth. Water droplets scattered everywhere, and Dal continued to pat the prince's clothing dry.

"What are you doing?"

"Ah! Drying your clothes, sire!" Dal grit his teeth and instinctually shut his eyes; Ike was standing behind him. Reaching behind him, he held the now-dry robes to Ike, his head turned the other way.

"... Thank you."

Dal hid his burning face in his hands as Ike changed. By the sound of it, he figured that Ike had finished, and he slowly turned around, holding the prince's sword in both of his hands. "Excuse me for using your sword, Your Majesty..."

Ike brushed it off and tentatively took his sword back into his hands. "Where did you learn to wash clothes?"

"Oh, my Spiritual Mother-" Dal stopped abruptly, pressing his lips together.

_I shouldn't have said anything._

"Spiritual Mother...?"

He sighed, cursing himself for even bringing Zelda up. Ike shouldn't have to worry about sending him back. Not now.

"My... Spiritual Mother... I was raised by Zelda, a shaman, since I was around ten years old. She cared for me, and although she was a bit absentminded and distant at times, I fared well under her wing. Being a shaman... Well, it's complicated, all of those prophecies, omens, and fortunes to keep up with, and I was her apprentice, tagging along beside her, learning how to become a shaman myself. The trouble is, Zelda knows more about me than even _I _know myself. For instance, I lost my memory of who I was when Zelda took me under her wing, and I couldn't even remember my own name. So, I simply was called 'boy', or 'the shaman's apprentice' or even 'Spiritual Boy'. But never have I learned my own name, and I went nameless for about ten years, until I met you and you bestowed upon me the name of 'Dal'." Dal clenched his fists, staring at his feet.

The prince of Baekje crouched down, putting his sword down to listen more carefully.

"I wish I knew more about myself; I feel cut off from the world, not knowing who I am, where I came from, and how I came to be. Of course, I feel grateful to my Spiritual Mother for going through all that trouble to raise me, but... Well, it was rather hard. While she went out to read a leaf or whatnot, I did the woman's work as well as a man's work. I cooked, cleaned, did laundry, went out to the marketplace, just as a woman may do. In addition, I hunted the best I could with a mere slingshot, although I didn't too very well, and I fished when I had the chance, as well as doing minor shaman duties such as sitting in a corner of the marketplace, offering to do simple fortunetelling, like palm-reading, for a small amount of money. Of course, I didn't do too well, but _someone _had to bring food."

Ike listened with wide eyes as Dal raised his hands and stared at his own palms.

"See? Undoubtedly, my hands have become worn and weathered from such work, but it is okay. I've gotten used to a hard life, and I feel that it suits me sometimes."

Dal held his palms out to Ike in demonstration. Indeed, his hands were thin and slender, a minor burn on his right thumb, a long, thin scar on his left palm. Although he was young, Dal's hands were rougher than Ike's, and the bones on his hands were more prominent, some veins visible on the backside.

"Dal, I-"

"I always try to stay cheerful, though. 'Never give up!' I'd say,"he said softly, smiling faintly at Ike. "However, it was hard to stay cheery, doing hard work such as this, with my weak and fragile condition as well. Often times, I fainted right on the streets, dropping everything I had, much to my embarrassment, and people would scorn me for it. Occasionally, a kindhearted person would see me, and stay with me, trying to wake me up. After those incidents, I tried to be a bit more careful, staying in the shade more often. However, lately, I've been getting strange flashbacks, like looking into someone's memories. I can only hope that this is a sort of spiritual stage."

Ike crouched there, gazing sympathetically at Dal, his companion. Night was beginning to fall, and the stars were arriving, one by one. Because of his wet clothing, Dal was beginning to shiver slightly, worn out from telling his tale.

"Let's get back to camp; I can see that you are getting cold,"Ike murmured, and led the way through the forest.

**Meh, not a _great _ending to the chapter there, but I had to end it somewhere! *cries***

**I'll try to update as soon as I can!  
**

**Review, please! :)  
**

**- Psychic  
**


	4. To Protect Him

**Hiya! I'm back with the next chapter! Sorry for the late update... T-T Just to make things clear, I won't be using most of the non-Smashers/minor character's names in the fanfic (ex: Ike's dad/the king). Also, yes, Lucario will be a "human" in this fanfic, just because I couldn't really find anyone else mysterious enough... I don't own anything; Enjoy!**

Zelda glanced up at the tall, slim man standing before her. His long, blue hair veiled his face along with the shadows; only his luminous, narrow yellow eyes squinted at her. Darkness danced about the trees, the wind howling ominously as he continued glaring at her. The _hanbok _he wore was a simple black, and he finally spoke up, his voice deep.

"It is almost time."

Zelda bit her lip. "Indeed."

The man tilted his head up, revealing more of his face and a somewhat long, sharp nose. A grim look flashed across his face for a moment as he growled, "Where is he?"

"In Baekje, under the care of the Crown Prince."

"This is terrible,"the man mused, shifting his gaze towards Zelda. "Terrible indeed."

"Why?"

This simple question seemed to make something inside of the man snap. "Do you not see? The prince of Baekje holds the key to Prince Marth's own destruction!"the man snarled, "Why did you leave him?" His eyes flashed a fiery yellow-orange under the moonlight, sending shivers up Zelda's spine. He was mysterious and frightening at times, and yet she trusted him; he was the greatest seer she'd ever laid eyes upon.

Zelda sighed. In a soft voice heavy with a faint sorrow, she murmured, "I know. But the risks must be taken. This is the path the prince is destined to take. I am sure of it. Do you not feel it?"

She knew that he could feel it; any seer worth calling themselves seers could feel it. That dark, foreboding, heavy feeling. A dark storm cloud hovering over their lives.

The man's blazing yellow eyes softened. "Perhaps you are right. You watched over Prince Marth, and I should be grateful, as I know you are a reliable shaman." He paused, glancing up at the full moon overhead. "Fate is terrible and, sadly, unfair." He stared at Zelda again, as if trying to see something more clearly.

She closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath. "Fate will take a turn... at the next eclipse."

"Everything will change when the moon embraces the sun,"the man growled, and turned, beginning to stalk away. "Take care, Shaman Zelda, and be warned; I sense that fate will spin for you as well."

"Thank you, Lucario."

…

Dal bit his lip as he looked over Ike's shoulder. The prince was observing a makeshift map of the kingdoms. It seemed that Baekje occupied a small amount of land, and while Shilla's territory was larger than Baekje's, it was clear that Goryeo, the biggest kingdom, was dominant.

"Sire..."

Ike glanced up to look at Dal. "Mm?"

"Is... Goryeo and Shilla stronger than we are? Just because they are bigger?"he asked softly.

The map rustled in Ike's hands as he set it down on his lap and set his determined gaze on Dal. "No. Goryeo and Shilla may be stronger physically, but we are stronger mentally, psychologically,"the prince declared, putting his right hand to his heart and sighing, "Baekje is stronger in our hearts; we'll never give up, never give in, no matter what!"

Dal admired Ike's gallant spirit and will. "I believe you."

He smirked. "You believe me? What, would I lie?"

"N-No, Your Majesty!"Dal stammered, taken aback. He hastily shifted his gaze from Ike's, pretending to look at the small table, the tent's thin walls, the grass... anything would do! Anything but Ike!

Ike chuckled. "You are quite amusing at times, although you may not mean it."

"Prince Ike? May I enter?"

It was that general, Link. Dal bowed to Link and slipped outside of the tent. He thought he should leave the two leaders of the military to strategize and plan.

Dal sighed, lifting his head to stare up at the sky. There were no clouds, just an endless expansion of blue. The sun beat down on his dark hair, but a pleasant breeze picked up, and Dal, fascinated, watched a brilliant blue butterfly flutter around him before landing on his shoulder.

He watched the butterfly carefully for a moment, then it flitted away.

_It almost seems like it wants me to follow it..._

Curiosity won Dal over, and he gingerly wove his way through the tents, ignoring the strange looks that the soldiers gave him. The butterfly continued to call to him, eventually slowing down for Dal to catch up.

The butterfly had led him to the outskirts of the forest, it seemed. Dal watched, entranced, as the butterfly hovered for a moment in the air before resting on someone else's shoulder.

Dal could only stumble backwards in surprise. "Z-Zelda?"

The shaman smiled; a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Hello, my dear. It appears that I have finally located you,"she said lightly.

Dal stared down at his feet, rebellious yet slightly ashamed. "Indeed."

Zelda seemed to be waiting for a further response, but gone none. She said, "So, the Prince of Baekje has taken you in, has he?" She regarded her apprentice with a knowing expression.

"Y-Yes."

The shaman paused before murmuring, "Are you happy?"

Taken aback, Dal whispered, "Yes."

Zelda closed her eyes in an almost sad manner. "I'm sorry, dear. I'm afraid that this can't last for long."

Dal looked down. "I know. I must stay true to being your apprentice, and you've come to take me back. Away from Baekje. Away from this strange, yet endearing, place I've been brought to. Away... from Prince Ike."

_I... I don't want to leave. I... I'd miss his Highness too much..!_

To his surprise, his mentor shook her head simply. "No. I cannot change the hands of fate, no matter what. To make things easier and more simple, I will not interfere."

Zelda frightened and mystified him sometimes. Dal gazed at her curiously. "Fate?"

"You'll know, my dear, all in good time,"the shaman promised, and the butterfly flitted off of her shoulder as she melted into the shadows of the forest.

…

Ike paced in his tent, poring over the battle plans that Link had proposed. He was so engrossed in his thoughts, he didn't notice someone else entering his tent.

"Greetings, Crown Prince Ike."

Without turning around and seeing the other man's face, Ike simply scowled and muttered, "What brings you here, Your Highness?"

_My father... Why does he always have to come and interfere with me?!_

He turned around to see the king. It always surprised people how unalike they were, but Ike didn't mind. He felt that it set him apart from his father, set him apart from living in his shadow.

"We _are _at war with Shilla, Crown Prince. Do you not feel that the king should contribute to fighting as well?"

"You cannot die on the battlefield,"Ike countered, "You have a kingdom to rule. Besides, I have things handled fine. Can you not just trust me for once?"

The king smiled half-heartedly. "I do trust you. I simply feel restless, staying within the palace walls without any contribution to the action."

Ike scowled again. "How selfish of you."

His father chuckled. That in itself infuriated Ike so much that he didn't notice a shadow about to enter the tent.

_He doesn't take me seriously!_

Ike opened his mouth to say something else, then stopped when Dal slipped inside of the tent, bowing submissively and deeply to the king.

"Ah, Crown Prince, who is this? A soldier, perhaps? Where is his armor?" The king stared down curiously at Dal, who lowered his gaze to stare at his own feet.

Keeping his temper in check, Ike grumbled, "Dal is not a soldier. He's my companion."

"Companion?"

"Yes. I stumbled across him one day, and seeing that he had no home, I took him in, as he is responsible and polite. Dal means the world to me, being the first person to stand by my side in my life, and I cherish him deeply,"Ike explained boldly.

At these words, Dal looked up at Ike in surprise, his eyes wide. He seemed to be asking, "Do I really mean that much to you?"

_Oh, Dal. You don't know how much I appreciate and care for you._

"I see,"the king of Baekje said thoughtfully. He looked down once again at Dal almost questioningly. "I will be off then, seeing how much you do not want me here."

Ike bowed deeply once again as his father exited the tent, casting one long, thoughtful glance at Dal.

Before his father left, Ike could hear him mutter, "Strange... I feel like I've seen his face before..."

…

"Dal, you can't go with us,"Ike huffed, "You'll get hurt on the battlefield."

Dal shook his head stubbornly. "I will obey you at any time, Sire, but this is a different case. I will protect you at any cost."

"You can't even pick up a sword."

"Yes I can, Sire!"

"I don't need protection."

"Even so, I am your companion, and I should defend you!"

"Why should you? It's not like you're my guard."

"Because, Sire!"Dal cried in exasperation, "I lov-!" He froze.

_What am I saying?!_

The prince of Baekje blankly stared at him. "Pardon?"

"I-I... _care _very much for you, S-Sire!"Dal stammered hastily.

With that, Ike simply shrugged. "I see. But I still feel that you shouldn't-"

Dal widened his eyes pleadingly and fell to his knees, staring up at Ike. "I beg you, Your Majesty. Please let me do this for you. Please. I feel as if I owe you, Sire. Please let me do this."

Ike narrowed his eyes at Dal, then finally sighed. "If you wish."

Dal grinned, getting up from his knees and bowing to the prince. "Do not fret, Sire. I will surely not die. I promise you."

…

It was the first time Dal had ever even _seen _a battlefield. This particular one was set in a forest. Ike had explained to him that although there was plenty of room for the _enemy _to get caught in the several bushes or trip over roots and stones, _they _could make the same errors as well. Dal had listened carefully to Ike's instruction, and he took his position next to the prince. His heart was thumping wildly in his chest as the battle started, the two seas of soldiers clashing into one another.

A Shilla soldier came running at him, and Dal swung wildly with his sword, catching the other man in the chest. The soldier's eyes widened as blood began to seep through his clothing, his eyes eventually glazing over as he fell to the ground.

_I... I killed him!_

Dal swallowed, staring at the dead man before him. More soldiers began closing in, but he felt frozen with fear and horror.

_This... this goes against my morals! What I've been brought up to believe. But if I'm to protect his Highness... I must do it!_

Save for the first kill, Dal did pretty well during the rest of the battle, considering he'd never even picked a sword up in his life. He tried to ignore the cries of pain the soldiers that he cut let out, and he continued to slash ruthlessly at Shilla's soldiers, one name alone in his mind the whole time.

_For Ike._

He could've come out unscathed, if not for Ike.

Shilla was being oh-so-tricky. They had archers, and that alone brought down many of Baekje's soldiers. Dal had looked over his shoulder to see an archer aiming for Ike. The prince of Baekje had his back facing the archer, concentrating on the Shilla soldier in front of him. As Dal watched, horrified, the archer drew his arrow back, aiming right for where Ike's heart should be.

_NO!_

As if in slow motion, Dal leaped forward as the archer let the arrow fly, wrapping his arms around Ike, shielding him with his own body. After that, he felt a piercing agony in his left shoulder, and as the world began to fade, he heard Ike scream his name.

**Dun-dun!**

**Again, I'm sorry for the late update, you guys!  
**

**Please review! Pretty please!  
**

**- Psychic  
**


	5. A Riddle for You

**Hello! I updated! Yay! I probably will update slower this week though... Check my profile for more information about it. Also, the riddle below is originally from the Korean drama, _Rooftop Prince_. I don't own anything... Enjoy!**

Dal peered around his new surroundings. It was a beautiful forest, the leaves of the trees turning a rice-paddy green color in the light of the sun. Multi-colored, tiny flowers dotted the forest floor, which was littered with fresh-scented pine needles. He could see the shafts of light sifting through the tree branches, giving the atmosphere a warm feeling.

He saw a flash of blue and the laugh of a small child, and, curious, Dal went to see who it was. The child suddenly turned around, his eyes a bright blue. His hair was also blue, and he wore an elegant blue _hanbok _with silver dragons etched onto the fabric. He smiled at Dal, albeit in an almost sad way. That's when Dal realized that the boy's figure was shimmering.

The boy, still smiling, pointed at Dal, then at himself.

Dal was about to take a step forward, but was interrupted by the snap of a twig. At that moment, the boy closed his eyes and dissolved into mist.

"You're too early,"a voice grumbled, "Go back."

Dal blinked and peered around. He could see no one. "Who is there?"

Suddenly, a lithe figure leaped down from the utmost branches of a nearby tree, landing with the grace and agility of a cat. It was a woman with long, blond hair that was pulled back into a thick braid. To his surprise, Dal could see that this woman had piercing red eyes, but that was all he could see of her face. Her nose wasn't even visible underneath a white cloth that covered most of her face and wrapped around her neck. Although she was clearly a woman, Dal noted that her clothes were like that of a man's clothing.

"You fool!"the woman growled, rising and approaching Dal with a dangerous air. He backed up, a bit intimidated. "Defending that little prince of yours! Risking your life like that... I can't stand your idiocy sometimes!"

Dal opened his mouth to defend himself, but the woman continued to rant.

"I swear, you'll make me go to a second grave! What's so special about that prince that you need to risk your life for him?!"

Assuming that no one else was there but them, Dal said, "I love his Highness!"

The woman's right eye twitched. "Love? Why you! How could you fall in love with the Prince of Baekje, you little-!" She continued to mutter some unspeakable words under her breath. "This is completely forbidden! It even goes against the usual customs of heaven!"

Dal looked away, his jaw and fists clenched. "Who are you?"

"I'm your guardian for as long as you live!"the woman hissed in annoyance. "Although I would very much be happy to be let off my duty, I promised Zelda that I would make sure that you've fulfilled your destiny! What, trying to escape fate by dying? Not on my watch! And me? My name is Sheik!"

Sheik glared at Dal, who looked down at his feet. "But... I am not sure of how I am supposed to go back..."

His guardian merely shook her head, muttering, "Why do I always have to do everything?"

Dal's eyes widened as Sheik put her hand to his forehead. Once again, the world faded to white.

…

Ike's jaw clenched as the physician, Mario, finally looked up from bandaging Dal's shoulder. The arrow that Mario had painstakingly took out of Dal's shoulder was cast aside, drenched in blood. Ike had taken Dal from the battlefield, then was forced to leave him to continue fighting. Although Link was an important asset to winning, Ike told him to watch over Dal and send for a physician, which the general promptly did.

"He'll live,"Mario said simply in his usual foreign-sounding accent.

The prince simply nodded, staring at his companion lying down, his face a chalky white and strips of cloth crisscrossing his bare upper body. Ike stared at his limp figure, so thin, small, and weak.

"Although, Sire, it will be difficult for him to recover, as one of his veins _was _severely damaged, resulting in a massive blood loss. To top it all off, the boy is naturally frail and in a delicate condition. I must say, however, that he was lucky that the arrow didn't pierce his heart,"the physician summed up, "I shall be back to check up on him later, Your Excellency."

Ike nodded curtly and Mario bowed deeply and left the tent, his head still bowed. He then turned to glare at the still figure of Dal.

"Fool,"he said out loud, "Why did you risk your life for me?" Ike, his anguish growing, began to rant in a louder voice. "Why would you do that? Do you know how much you mean to me? I'd much rather be shot by an arrow and die than watch you do so!"

While he was seething, Ike almost didn't hear a shaky whisper say, "But... I wanted... to save you... Sire..."

Annoyed, Ike snapped back, "Dal, stop your excuses! I-" He stopped talking and stared, wide-eyed, at Dal.

He was struggling to sit up, using his elbows as support, his face contorted in pain. Dal tried to smile, but he did so half-heartedly. "Your Excellency, they are not excuses..."

"Dal!" Forgetting that Dal was hurt (and topless), Ike bolted up and threw his arms around his companion in a very un-princely manner. He seemed to have lost all senses to relief that Dal was alive.

Dal gasped, his breath hitched from discomfort. Ike immediately leaped away, putting on a straight face and apologizing for hurting Dal even further.

"N-No, it's fine, S-Sire. Do not blame yourself,"Dal rasped, blindly searching for another blanket to cover himself. Ike reached over and handed him a white sheet, and Dal threw it over himself, his face turning a faint pink.

"... Do you want something to wear...?"

"I-If you don't mind, Your Highness! I am so sorry that you had to see me like... this." Dal bit his lip and looked away from Ike, his eyebrows furrowed. He lifted the blanket even further so that it covered his head and Ike couldn't see his eyes. Only his blue hair was slightly visible from underneath. Ike could barely see Dal's lips from the shadow of the blanket, but he knew that Dal was still nervously biting his bottom lip.

_If he bites any longer, his lip will bleed._

As Ike turned this thought over in his head, he stood and crossed the room to grab a plain white _hanbok _and hand it to his bedridden companion. Dal promptly began to dress, wincing in pain every so often. Ike offered to help him, but he declined. After a few more moments of struggling, Dal finally gave in and let the prince help him dress.

The tent flap opened, and Link peered inside. "Sire, I-" The general paused, taking in the scene before him. Ike had been gently helping Dal put his left sleeve on while Dal's expression looked humiliated and pained as well. "Am I... interrupting something?"

"Not at all,"Ike said with a nonchalant air, "What do you need?"

"Ah, you see, Crown Prince, the king wishes that you return to the capital. Just for the ceremony for the upcoming eclipse."

"The eclipse won't be in a while,"Ike grumbled. Not to mention that he didn't really _want _to see his father.

"I just thought that you should be informed,"Link replied politely. He looked at Dal, who bowed his head slightly. "Ah, how are you?"

Dal smiled wearily. "I am fine, thank you."

Ike watched as the two exchanged conversation, a strange feeling welling up inside of him. It was a peculiar, dark feeling, like something was pressing down on his heart. It almost felt like he didn't want Dal to be with Link.

_What am I thinking?! Dal should have plenty of acquaintances. This is incredibly selfish of me!_

His impulsiveness winning over, Ike grumbled, "I will go to the capital."

Link turned to him, surprised. "Pardon?"

"I will go to the capital,"Ike repeated. Link, obviously confused yet relieved, nodded.

Dal simply stared at him, his eyes half-closed. His expression seemed to ask, "_Are you sure_?" It was as if he already knew how Ike was feeling at the thought of returning home.

…

Dal sighed inwardly, watching Ike climb up the steps leading towards the king's quarters. He was convinced that the prince of Baekje didn't want to return to the capital, but did so anyways. They'd promptly left after ensuring that the camp was safe from harm. Before he left, Ike discussed battle strategies with Link and they agreed that they would stop ambushing Shilla for a little while. Just for now.

_I wonder why..._

"Hmm. It is you again."

Dal whirled around to see who'd spoken, only to have a lightning bolt of agony shoot down his back. He reminded himself not to do that again as he winced, squinting at the person who'd addressed him.

It was that attendant with the pink _hanbok_. The one with long, pretty blond hair and bright blue eyes. She was the one that had slapped him. Dal wouldn't be able to forget _that _endearing and joyful experience.

_What was her name? Apple? Orange? Nectarine? No..._

Dal could only nod in response, as he couldn't remember the woman's name.

She frowned. "Can't you talk? Speak up, young man!"

_Ah! It's Peach!_

"Y-Yes,"Dal stammered. "What can I do for you, ah, Peach?"

Peach folded her arms, staring past Dal. He assumed that she was looking towards the king's quarters, where Ike surely was at the moment. "Is the Crown Prince back, discussing the plans for the Eclipse Ceremony?"

"Yes." Dal tilted his head, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What is the Eclipse Ceremony?"

The attendant only blinked. "You've never heard of the Eclipse Ceremony? Where have you been all your life? You are, what, twenty years of age?"

"Yes..."

Peach sighed. "Solar eclipses are sometimes said to bring bad luck. Or so some say. So, Baekje has a special ceremony to ward away bad spirits during this time when the sun goes black. Personally, I think it is a rather astonishing phenomenon."

"I see,"Dal said, although he didn't really quite understand.

"Every time the solar eclipse is expected, the king holds the Eclipse Ceremony. Of course, since the Crown Prince will eventually become the ruler of Baekje, he helps in the planning and execution of the ceremony so that he will know what to do when he is king,"Peach continued. She adjusted the _binyo _in her hair delicately and smoothed out a wrinkle in her _hanbok_.

Dal only nodded, turning back towards the entrance of the king's quarters. He'd heard a noise earlier, and sure enough, Ike exited through the sliding doors, his expression hard.

_Ah. He is in a bad mood._

"Crown Prin-" Peach started to chirp at Ike, but Dal silenced her with a wary look. She seemed to understand, now looking more carefully at Ike's face. No need to anger the fiery prince any further.

_I wonder why he is in such bad terms with his father._

Dal slightly bowed to Ike as he passed, restraining from firing question after question at him. He tentatively followed the aggravated prince out of the courtyard, with Peach hurrying off to do other business.

Ike wound throughout the buildings of the palace absentmindedly, while Dal struggled to keep up with the prince's long stride. They crossed a stone bridge over a pretty lake with water lilies floating across the surface, the sky reflecting on the water like a mirror. Ike eventually stopped walking and turned around as he stepped off the bridge.

Dal made a move to get off of the bridge as well, but his foot snagged on the stone, and he found himself tripping and falling forward. As if in slow motion, Dal fell forward into Ike, who had extended his arms in an effort to catch him. Dal closed his eyes tightly, expecting to crash into the dirt in a painful manner.

He never reached the floor. Dal slowly opened his eyes, then gasped.

Ike had caught him and held Dal as if cradling a child, one arm supporting underneath Dal's knees and the other holding his shoulders. He could only gaze up at the prince of Baekje in shock and embarrassment.

"S-Sire, I-"

"You should be more careful, Dal." Ike raised his eyebrows at him. "Falling over is not exactly safe for you."

Dal didn't think about his next words as he said in a matter-of-factly tone, "Yes Sire, but I know that you'll always be there to catch me."

Ike could only blink at Dal, who blushed a furious red. The prince gently put him down, and stared out into the water. He seemed to be deep in thought, then turned to Dal.

"Dal, I have a riddle for you. See if you can solve it."

"... Ah, okay, Your Excellency...?"

"What dies when it is alive and what is alive even when it dies?"

Dal could only stare at Ike, his mind already working on the possibilities of the answer. Ike let out a small chuckle.

"I'll give you two days to figure the riddle out,"Ike said, and continued to walk down the path, winding through the palace walls.

**Just so you know, the way that Ike caught Marth could probably be best described as "bridal-style", if you've heard of the term before.  
**

**Now for a little fun! See if you can figure out the riddle on your own before I update the next chapter! If someone figures it out, I will reward them! I would prefer it if you PM me about the answer. Oh, and I need 2 reasons!  
**

**Please leave a review!  
**

**- Psychic  
**


	6. Eclipse

**Hiya! I updated again! Yay! Unfortunately, not many people reviewed the last update, but that's okay. The answer to the riddle is in this chapter! Congrats to Pandamonium2 for getting the answer correct! Also, sorry if this chapter seems rushed. I did kind of rush it... Again, sorry about that. Oh yeah! How do you like the new cover? XD I don't own anything. As always, enjoy!  
**

Dal stared blankly at the sky, his mind working furiously. He recalled Ike's words and bit his lip. It seemed that this became his new habit whenever something was bothering him.

"_What dies while it is living, and what lives while it is dying?"_

He was still walking behind the prince, who seemed lost in thoughts of his own.

_What an intriguing riddle. What can live while it is dead and die while it is living...?_

"Dal, you should really watch where you're going."

Dal's eyes widened as he realized that, during his trance, he'd tripped yet again. During this time, his body had been completely limp, and his arms had instinctively flung around Ike's neck for balance. Ike's hands were now wrapped around his, and Dal blushed bright red, his face buried in Ike's shoulder.

"S-Sire, I-"

Ike pulled Dal closer, and he felt an arrow of pain shoot down his back once again, but Dal was too embarrassed to notice anything. The prince still stared straight ahead, not once looking back at Dal.

_I hope that he cannot feel my heartbeat!_

Indeed, Dal's heart was racing, thumping wildly against his ribcage. All was silent for a moment, Ike simply holding Dal's hands and Dal's arms around Ike's neck from behind.

A sharp voice cut through the quiet. "What are you doing?!"

Dal was suddenly struck across the head, and he fell backwards into the uninviting bushes below. A twig jabbed at his left shoulder, and, much to his own horror, he let out a small cry of pain.

Ike stood in front of him, his fists clenched as he bowed slightly yet grudgingly. "Your Majesty."

Ike's father looked over Ike's shoulder to glare at Dal. "What is going on here?"he growled.

…

Zelda watched the scene below, shaking her head.

_Prince Ike has let his feelings get out of hand._

She turned away after seeing Dal get hit by the livid king. Zelda closed her eyes and sighed.

_For once, why couldn't things be different? Dal, or rather, Prince Marth has been tied to the fate of a forbidden love and the fall of a kingdom. Prince Ike has been tied to that very same string of fate. Destiny will begin its journey as the eclipse arrives._

Zelda walked away from her hiding place. She'd been chosen, as a shaman, to help during the eclipse. There was a ceremony to plan.

…

A few days after Ike gave him the riddle, Dal kneeled in the Palace Garden, fingering a pretty lotus flower. Ike was preparing for the eclipse that would happen that day.

He stared down at the lotus flower. It was dying, which was a sign that it was preparing a seed.

_It's a pity that such a pretty flower must die to provide a seed. It must die to continue living._

Dal froze, his eyes widening.

"_What dies while it is living, and lives while it is dying?"_

"That's it!"he whispered, and leaped up. "What else is there?"

Dal tore through the garden, racing against time.

Too late. The sun was beginning to show black, and the light in the world was dimming. Dal kept running, although he didn't know why.

_Why am I running? What is so urgent that-_

He gasped and collapsed to the ground. It felt like a dark cloud was overwhelming his heart, and he couldn't breathe any longer. Darkness was overcoming him, and Dal's hand clutched at his heart now, a single tear trickling down his cheek.

…

The young boy that Dal had seen when he'd almost died was smiling again. He gestured to Dal, like last time, and then to himself. He looked so familiar...

_That... is me!_

Young Dal gave him a small smile, and the scene faded to white.

Now, the younger version of Dal was kneeling before a man with dragons adorning his hanbok. Young Dal had dragons on his hanbok as well...

_I... am royalty!_

Young Dal coughed violently, and the man, obviously his father, looked concerned. It was almost as if a choking blackness what enveloping Dal.

Time wore on, and the young Dal grew sicker and sicker. Soon, he turned from a sweet, carefree young boy to a bitter and hopeless one. Finally, young Dal collapsed, nearly dead. A familiar shaman appeared and seemed to help him, putting him to a deep sleep and taking him away.

_Zelda?_

_This... this is my past!_

…

He regained consciousness, gasping. Tear stains streaked his cheeks.

_My true name is Marth, Crown Prince of Shilla. I fell ill to a sickness and nearly died. Zelda somehow saved me from dying and took my memory away. I've been living as her apprentice ever since, not knowing my origins or my name._

"My name is Marth,"he whispered to himself.

The sun was returning from behind the moon, and light was coming back to the world once again.

…

Ike stalked from the courtyard, eager to see Dal again.

_Now that the Eclipse Ceremony is finally over, I can resume the war._

He returned to his quarters, where, at the front door, he found a strange note.

_Sire,_

_I am no longer the man you knew. I have never been Dal. My name is Marth, Crown Prince of Shilla. I fell ill when I was young, and nearly died. Shaman Zelda took me away and I lost my memory, therefore not knowing my past or my name. I cannot be your companion any longer. Thank you for taking me in... Being your companion was the best thing I've ever experienced in my life. I will miss you, Sire._

_Marth (Dal)_

Tears unexpectedly welled up in Ike's eyes, and in a flash, he was gone, sprinting in the general direction of the forest. Somehow he knew that Dal would go through the forest path to Shilla, as not to attract any unwanted attention.

…

Dal tried to wrap the idea around his head that he was no longer Dal. He was Marth. A prince.

_I am a prince. This is so... intriguing._

He was walking along the weathered forest path, trying to get to Shilla. Perhaps he could find out more about his identity there. Find his family and find out more about his past.

A sudden rustling of leaves startled him, and Ike leaped out from a bush, his eyes wild. The prince of Baekje approached Dal slowly, his eyes widening

"Is it true? Are... are you really Shilla's lost prince?"Ike asked, his voice trembling a bit.

"Yes."

Ike's expression looked pained. "Dal..."

He drew himself up. "I am not Dal!"he said, and his voice cracked as he repeated, "I am not Dal. I am... Marth."

It broke his heart to see Ike look so lost and brokenhearted.

"Crown Prince Ike."

Ike looked up, his eyes dulled with loss. There was a stray leaf stuck to his hair from sprinting through the forest.

"I... I know the answer to your riddle."

The prince of Baekje simply nodded at Dal to continue.

"It is a lotus."

Ike's eyes sparked with faint knowing. "Why is it a lotus?"

"To produce a seed, the lotus must die. Therefore, it must die to continue living. Also, the lotus is the symbol of reincarnation, is it not?"

Ike smiled, although his eyes were still clouded in a lost way. "That's right. I knew you would figure it out."

He took a step forward, closing in the space between him and the prince of Baekje. Ike needed to forget him. To let him go.

"Do I get a reward?"

Ike raised his eyebrows. "What is it that you want?"

"Forget about me. Let me go."

…

Ike stood, baffled, before Dal.

_No, not Dal. It's Marth._

"Forget me. Let me go."

"Da- Marth!"

They stood, facing each other, for a few long, drawn out seconds. The world seemed to stop revolving, the wind and bird's noises reducing to a deathly silence.

_This can't be real. It has to be a nightmare._

His old companion smiled sadly. "Before I leave, I have one surprise for you. Please close your eyes."

Ike did as he was told, forcing tears back.

Suddenly, he felt a pair of soft, warm lips press against his cheek, and his eyes flew open to see the boy he loved fleeing from him, a single tear streaming down his cheek.

**Grr.**

**This was too rushed; I realize that now. Curse my laziness.  
**

**The next chapter, I'll be calling "Dal" by his real name, Marth!  
**

**Please review, and don't hate me for rushing this chapter! I promise the next chapter will be better!  
**

**- Psychic  
**


	7. Choices

**Hiya! I finally updated the next chapter! Yay! I don't own anything. Enjoy!**

How many days had it been since Dal – no, Marth – had left him? Ike couldn't remember. He suspected it had been at least two months. He spent day after day, his mind blank, fighting battle after battle. Ike didn't care who spoke to him any longer. He didn't care who angered him, what angered him. He didn't care about the war. He cared for nothing.

All Ike wanted was for his former companion to stay by his side once more. His kiss still burned on his cheek, and Ike wanted so much just to see him again.

_Is that too much to ask? To have... Marth by my side. Is it too much?_

Ike didn't even notice someone ride up beside him on a horse. Nor did he notice that someone was calling his name.

Finally, Link gently shook the prince's shoulder as respectfully as he could. "Your Excellency."

Ike grunted in response, staring straight ahead.

"We've just received word that the prince of Shilla will finally appear in battle."

The words 'prince of Shilla' snapped Ike out of his trance, and he suddenly pulled the reins on his horse violently, coming to a halt. The army, which was marching dutifully behind, also came to a sudden stop.

"... What?"

Link slowly and patiently repeated his message, "The prince of Shilla will be joining the war, Sire."

_He's too weak!_

Ike's eyes flashed wildly, his heart sinking. Dal – Marth – couldn't possibly survive as a commander of the army. "Dal."

Link looked confused. "Sire, Dal disappeared about three and a half months ago. He couldn't possibly-"

Ike snapped the reins on his horse, and took off at full speed. He didn't need to be told again that the young man that he loved was gone. His heart was already broken as is.

…

"Greetings, Crown Prince Marth." The speaker was a mysterious man with midnight blue hair , luminous yellow eyes, and sharp facial features. He was tall and rather formidable, his armor silver and his cape a deep violet.

Marth nodded to the general of Shilla's army respectfully. "General Knight." He resisted the urge to bow deeply. After all, he was raised as a low member of society, but now that he was a prince, he had a high social status.

All Marth knew about General Knight, also known as Meta Knight, was a stunning warrior and a man of great dignity and respect. He was the king's most trusted general, and Marth felt awed by that.

Marth had come to realize that his father, the king, was not easily impressed. Apparently, before his disappearance, the king had been a good man, merciful and respected by all. After Marth's disappearance, however, the king went into a stage of grief. His attitude towards the world began to change, and so, in bitterness, he started a war against Baekje.

When Marth had first come to the palace, he'd met two young soldiers, Pit and Kuro. Pit was full of energy and eager to please, while Kuro was the exact opposite, dark, solemn, and ornery.

Pit had stopped Marth when he first arrived at the gates of the palace and had said, "Miss, I am sorry, but you are not allowed into the palace without request from the Royal Family."

Kuro had picked up from where his fellow soldier had started. "Do you have any reason to enter the palace, young lady?"

Marth had been forced to swallow down his anger and replied politely, "Yes, I do. I have news for the king."

Pit and Kuro, obviously close to each other, had spoken simultaneously, "What news?"

"The crown prince of Shilla is alive."

The two soldiers had exchanged glances with each other. They thought for a moment, and Kuro nodded to Pit. Kuro stepped aside to let Marth pass, and Pit did the same.

When Marth had finally reached the palace, it had taken him quite a while to convince the king that he was indeed his long lost son. In fact, if Zelda hadn't suddenly appeared, Marth would be in the palace dungeons.

"What are you doing here?"he'd hissed. In all honesty, Marth was angry at the shaman for keeping his identity a secret from him after she'd saved and taken him away.

"Saving you from being thrown in the dungeon and executed,"Zelda had said, then proceeded to explain what had really happened to the livid king. Marth stayed silent after that.

Marth was jerked out of his thoughts when a soldier timidly approached him. He looked up to see none other than Pit. Kuro was not too far away, scowling.

"Yes?"

Pit bowed deeply several times, while Kuro bowed once in respect. "Y-Your Excellency, we didn't mean to- I mean, that day, we thought that you were a w-woman!"Pit exclaimed, "Please accept our apologies! Please forgive us, Sire!"

With a pang in his heart, Marth was reminded of someone Pit sounded like. Himself. To Ike.

Ike. It had been so long since Marth had left Ike alone in the forest, bewildered. Sub-consciously, Marth put a hand to his lips, his eyes clouding over.

_I still remember that kiss._

"Sire? Sire, are you alright?"

Marth was jolted out of his thoughts as Kuro strolled over, peering into his eyes.

"Pardon? Oh, yes. Thank you. I was just... thinking about someone I lost."

Pit appeared confused yet sympathetic. "That is hard, Sire. We lose many people during wars, so Kuro and I know the feeling."

_You don't know the feeling of losing someone you love._

Without meaning to, Marth voiced his thoughts out loud, and as soon as he spoke, he slapped a hand over his mouth.

Pit blinked at him, while Kuro raised his eyebrows. "Forgive me for saying so, Sire, but you sure don't act like royalty,"Kuro drawled.

"... I wasn't raised to be a royal."

Kuro nodded, his eyes half-closed. "Yes, I know, Sire. Again, forgive me for saying so, but I have the feeling that your _lover _isn't of the normal type. I have this strange intuition that your _preferences _aren't standard." With those words, Kuro bowed slightly and walked away.

"Your Excellency, Kuro doesn't mean that! Please forgive him,"Pit said hastily, then bowed deeply once more before chasing after Kuro.

Marth could only blink in surprise, a faint blush appearing on his cheeks. One thing was for sure, though.

_Kuro is smarter than I imagined._

…

Marth paced around the grassy clearing, biting his lip furiously. He would be going into battle soon.

_I wonder if Ike will be there. Oh, heavens above, please don't let Ike be there._

"Nervous, Sire?"

Marth turned around at the sound of Meta Knight's deep, resounding voice. "Y-Yes, General Knight, I suppose so."

The general walked to join Marth in his pacing, and he was awed at how Meta Knight was so rough-looking yet so graceful.

"You see, Crown Prince Marth, I sense that something else is bothering you,"Meta Knight murmured.

Marth opened his mouth to speak, but Meta Knight continued to speak.

"I saw you in the ranks of Baekje's army,"Meta Knight said, "You were the soldier that protected the prince of Baekje."

Marth drew back in surprise. "Y-You saw me?"

"Yes, that was a rash move to make. You do move quickly, I must say. Arrows go at an incredibly fast pace, and Pit is our best archer. If you hadn't saved the prince, he would've died."

"I had to! He... he was so kind to me... saved me... He helped me realize who I really was, although he didn't know it..." Marth felt unwanted, hot tears beginning to form in his eyes. He choked out, "I promised that I would stay by his side... But I only... broke his heart."

Meta Knight said nothing at first, then growled, "Everyone goes through hardships. Get your head out of the clouds of longing, Sire, before it's too late. You _will _meet the prince of Baekje during this war, whether you like it or not. Then, as customary to win, you must kill him."

…

"... General Link, what is this?"

Link looked up at the round ball that Ike held in his hands. "Well, Your Excellency, I explained what that was already... However, I am happy to explain _once again_."

Ike blinked at Link, who looked just about ready to explode.

"As you see, Sire, these lovely objects are smoke bombs,"Link sighed, "We will throw these smoke bombs into Shilla's ranks, causing a disruption among the soldiers, who will be unable to see at least five footsteps ahead of them. During battle, our soldiers are trained to navigate through this smoke. This will give us an incredible advantage, you see, Sire?"

Ike nodded slowly, staring down at the smoke ball that he gingerly held in his hands. He gently set it down on the table where it originally rested, his head muddled.

A small, plain robecaught his eye, and Ike stooped down to pick it up from under a cabinet. He held it up, and, turning it around, he realized that it was the robe that Marth had worn when he'd gone into battle. Sure enough, when Ike checked the left shoulder of the cloth, there was a tear, and the fabric around it was stained red.

_Marth._

Ike stood, staring at that single piece of clothing until Link coughed.

"Ah... Sire?"

Ike slowly turned around. His eyes were clouded, and he nearly bumped into the table where the smoke balls were being held. Ike picked a smoke ball up, then glanced at Link.

"What are these?"

Link looked just about ready to murder someone.

…

Marth fumbled with the straps of his armor, getting his fingers tangled in them. Pit peered in and uttered a quick greeting while bowing.

"Sire... do you require assistance?"

Much to his own humiliation, Marth nodded silently, his back turned towards him.

Pit strapped the heavy armor on with ease, then frowned. "What is this? A scar?" He hesitantly pointed at Marth's left shoulder.

Marth twisted his head back to glance at Pit. "Yes. I was shot by an arrow while trying to save someone."

"You must be fast,"Pit murmured, "That was incredibly brave of you to jump in front of an arrow. Was the person you meant to save... dear to you?"

"... Yes. Now, it's too late, and I've lost him forever."

Marth knew that Pit was confused, but he offered no more information. He looked up to see Meta Knight standing at the entrance of the tent, his yellow eyes gleaming.

"_Everyone goes through hardships. Get your head out of the clouds of longing, Sire, before it's too late. You will meet the prince of Baekje during this war, whether you like it or not. Then, as customary to win, you must kill him."_

"_General Knight!"_

_Meta Knight glanced at Marth, then lowered his gaze. "You must choose, Crown Prince Marth. Either it's your kingdom... or your love. However, if you choose to hold on to your hopeless love... then Shilla will fall."_

…

Marth let out a long sigh. He was at the edge of Shilla's camp, staring out into the forest before him.

"Are you alright, Crown Prince Marth?"

He whipped around to see a young man with tousled red hair and bright blue eyes bowing slightly before smiling. Judging by the way he held himself, Marth could tell that he was a person of importance.

"O-Oh, yes, I am fine."

"I am Roy,"he said politely, "Before you reappeared, I was in training to become the Shilla's next king."

_So, in a passive-aggressive way of speaking, he's saying that I stole his throne from him._

"I see,"Marth murmured.

Roy seemed to read the expression on Marth's face. "Oh, I think it's wonderful that you came back, actually. You see, because I'm not the king's son, I was not in favor of the people. Not to mention that I'm afraid that I will be a terrible ruler,"he admitted.

Marth shook his head. "You'd be a much greater ruler than I. Since I disappeared, I was raised to be a person of low status, and I know nothing about politics. The people of Shilla obviously do not trust me either."

Roy didn't respond; he only gave Marth a sad smile.

_So he agrees with me._

"I suppose it will be the easiest to gain trust and respect by winning the war... But I can only do so by... killing... the crown prince of Baekje,"Marth said in a strangled voice.

Roy didn't seem to notice Marth's discomfort. "That is true."

"General Knight tells me that... if we lose the war, Shilla will fall."

"General Knight is very wise, and he has much experience."

_So it is true. If I lose the war for Ike... my country will be no more. Which is more important? My country... or my love?_

**Sorry if Marth's reunion with his family seems a little dodgy; I suppose I didn't want to stray too far from the plot and, frankly, I don't know what he would say XD.**

**Please review!  
**

**- Psychic  
**


	8. Changing Fate's Hands

**Hiya! Sorry I updated so late... I was busy. This chapter mainly focuses on Zelda, Lucario, and Marth. I don't own anything! Enjoy!  
**

**Warning: character death in this chapter.  
**

Zelda sprinted through the forest, not caring that mud was splattering all over her snowy _hanbok _and that branches and leaves were whipping at her arms and face. She had to get to him before it was too late. Perhaps it was already too late. Too late to change fate.

_No! I cannot let this happen!_

She continued to run until she bumped unceremoniously into a dark figure. Zelda staggered, glancing up into unforgiving, glowing yellow eyes. The figure stretched out a long, pale hand to steady her, and he smirked. Lucario.

"My dear Zelda,"he purred, "Why is it that you are running with such haste?"

"I have to save him!"Zelda cried furiously, "It can't end like this!"

Lucario's eyes narrowed slightly, his face bearing an expression close to pity. "Ah, you should know better. _No one _can change _fate_. If one tried, the price to pay-"

"-is death,"Zelda finished for him. Her hands trembled as she whispered, "I've done nothing for him. I've neglected him. He's done too much for such a selfish being like me. Please, Lucario. Let me do this for him. Let me try and save him." She slowly dropped to her knees, gripping Lucario's long, elegant robes in her fists.

His soft voice murmured, "You are willing to die for that sake?"

_Yes. Yes, let me die. I am a terrible woman. Shamans are terrible, cursed beings._

Lucario seemed to read her mind, and his eyes flashed a brilliant sapphire. "You must do it correctly. There may not be any mistakes. Otherwise, your death will be in vain."

_Very well._

Zelda closed her eyes, afraid that hot tears would spill from her eyes. She concentrated with all of her might, rising from the ground and stretching her arms out towards the moon.

_Let me spill out my life. Spirits, I beg you! Change the fate of Crown Prince Marth of Shilla before it is too late!_

And so her mind tumbled into an abyss of memories.

…

_Zelda whipped around as the frail young boy staggered out of the run-down home, his eyes wild with fear and his hair disheveled. His knees buckled beneath him before he could take another step out of the door, and he crumpled to the weathered wooden floors, tears streaming from his eyes and his hand gripping the worn wooden door so hard that it began to crack._

_She rushed over to him and bent down, patting his back worriedly. "What's wrong, my dear?"_

_He gazed up at her, his eyes watery. "I-It hurts so much... My head..."_

_Zelda sighed, her hands trembling as she gently took the boy's arms and dragged him back onto the thin sheets of his makeshift bed. He shivered and closed his eyes tightly, the tears still balancing on his eyelashes. She smoothed down his hair with uncharacteristic gentleness, her eyes betraying pity._

"_I'll get you something that will ease your pain,"Zelda murmured, rising._

…

_The boy had taken the tea that she'd given him, and he complained that it was terribly bitter. Although he didn't admit it, Zelda knew that his pain had ceased, but he had no memory of what had happened before he'd been brought to the home in the middle of the forest in Baekje. Zelda gave no explanation; she simply told him that she found him, dazed and injured, in the forest._

"_I am a shaman,"she'd said, folding her hands neatly and placing them on her lap._

_He took another sip of the tea and grimaced before muttering, "What's a shaman?"_

"_It's... hard to explain."_

"_Well, explain it the best you can, then,"he demanded. After seeing Zelda's blank look, he added begrudgingly, "Please."_

_Zelda thought for a moment before saying, "Shamans are women who are able to connect with spirits and sometimes even see the fate of others... We work for customers who want something to happen, and create talismans for that purpose."_

"_How odd,"the boy mused, then glared up at her. He set down his now-empty cup, murmuring, "What will you do with me? Use me as your sacrifice?"_

_She almost began to laugh, but held that in. "No, my dear. You are much to precious in the eyes of fate for me to be able to do so. No, instead, I shall make you my apprentice."_

_He looked outraged. "I am not a woman!"_

"_You certainly look pretty enough to be a quaint young girl."_

"_Why you-!"_

_Zelda gave him a disapproving look. "Is that any way to talk to your mentor?"_

_The boy grit his teeth and glared daggers at her. He gripped the edges of his blankets and hissed, "No. Forgive me. I do not know where I learned to speak like that."_

"_I thought so."_

…

"_Shaman Zelda, what is my name? Who are my parents?"_

_Zelda blinked at the boy and didn't reply._

"_Everyone else knows their parents. The other boys in the city think I am not right in the head, for I don't know my own name. What can I tell them? I want to be normal. I want to play with those boys,"he sighed, gazing up at Zelda with puppy-dog eyes._

_She gave no reply and turned around, calling over her shoulder, "I am going out. Make sure that you do not light the house on fire trying to light incense."_

_Zelda could feel his disappointed, hurt gaze burn into her back, but she kept walking. She knew that he must never find out his true identity until the time was right. Otherwise, everything would be ruined._

…

_Zelda watched as the cute young boy became a lovely young man. She knew it was almost time, and yet, deep inside of her, she knew that she didn't want to let him go._

Is this how mothers feel when their children grow up?

_She didn't know the answer to that question; as a shaman, she was bound to the secrecy of spirits and did not marry. Zelda awaited his return from fortunetelling at the market, and found herself worrying at his late arrival._

_Finally, a strange man stumbled towards her house, a frail figure slung across his back. Zelda recognized his short blue hair and rushed over._

He's collapsed again, that fool.

"_Are you his guardian?"the man asked, "He fainted in the middle of the marketplace. Too much sun, I guess. I'm sorry to say that all of your shaman stuff has been stolen. I figured that he was working for you, since you're the only shaman around these parts."_

_Zelda nodded, then uttered a quick apology and thanks to the man, who dipped his head and left. She unceremoniously dragged the boy into the house the best she could, muttering under her breath._

_Moments later, his eyes opened, his vision blurry. "What happened...?"_

"_You collapsed again,"she snapped, annoyance edging her voice, "You got me worried."_

"_I'm sorry that I lost our supplies,"he murmured, his voice heavy with defeat._

_Zelda glared at his deep blue eyes and finally sighed. She patted him on the head before rising and turning away. "I'll get you some tea."_

…

_They had an incident when the boy turned eighteen. Zelda had been praying intensely to the spirits, a wide array of lighted candles and incense surrounding her. The air was smoky and that made it hard to breathe, but Zelda paid no heed. She continued to pray, rubbing her hands together constantly and muttering under her breath._

_A hoarse gasping sound interrupted her, and she turned, ready to snap at the boy for breaking her concentration. Zelda could only gape, shocked and fearful, at him._

_He had crumpled to the ground, his face flushed and full of fear. He breathed heavily, clutching his chest. The boy had just enough time to glance up at Zelda before dropping his head to resume his labored breathing. She understood what was happening, and rushed over, blowing out all of the candles in the process._

_Zelda pushed him out of the door, for he was much too big to even be dragged by her. He let out a few feeble coughs before slipping into unconsciousness, and she panicked slightly, laying him down on the forest floor to get fresh air._

He has a weak windpipe.

_She felt slightly worried, as he was still unconscious and it was partly her fault for lighting so many candles in one place. Zelda felt that she should've known that he was weak and unable to handle so much smoke._

_Even so, she left him out to perhaps clear out his lungs and recover._

…

_Zelda knew that it was almost time. He was beginning to get weird flashbacks, but simply brushed it off, thinking that the spirits were finally connecting to him. If only he knew._

_She told him to climb the hill with the single tree one day and told him to remain there until she returned. He did so obediently, and soon fell asleep underneath the tree._

It's time.

_Zelda turned away from her hiding place within the forest and fled._

…

Lucario watched as Zelda slowly sank down to her knees, her breaths coming out short and fast. An aura of incredible power surrounded her, and he stepped backwards slightly. He knew that she was dying, slowly but surely. However, he was slightly relieved that these types of deaths were free of pain. Her spirit would simply leave her body, which would dissolve into nothingness.

Suddenly, her body jerked once, and her figure began to fade. Lucario watched as her spirit spiraled up into the night sky, his heart heavy. He sent a quick prayer to the spirits, begging them to let her arrive at the gates of heaven successfully.

_She's gone. Was she successful? Has fate really been changed?_

Lucario closed his eyes, willing the spirits to send him another vision. He clenched his fists, seeking out a sign in the darkness from the heavens.

All he could see when he closed his eyes was a moonless night splattered with blood.

_Zelda has died in vain. Fate has not changed._

**Eh. It's a short chapter. But necessary for the plot.**

**Also, please note that Marth has a condition similar to asthma. That will also be important for the next chapter.  
**

**Please review!  
**

**- Psychic  
**


	9. Regret Nothing

**Hiya! Ugh, I'm late at updating. AGAIN. And this chapter isn't even the best. Oh well. I plan to finish this on Christmas, but who knows? Maybe I'll be too lazy to update again. Anyhow, I don't own anything. Enjoy!**

Marth stood in front of a large map and hesitantly touched his finger to a location on it. Roy, Meta Knight, and a few other military leaders looked up at him quizzically.

"Perhaps we should attack here-"

"Sire,"Meta Knight interrupted, "The map is upside-down."

Marth hurriedly flipped it over. "Ah. That's why it didn't look right..."

Meta Knight glanced at Roy. "Your Excellency, why not let Roy take over for a short while? I need to speak with you."

_He trusts Roy completely._

"C-Certainly."

He followed the general out of the tent, his head slightly lowered. Meta Knight came to a stop and turned around to look at him. They were alone; the soldiers were preparing for battle.

"Sire." There was an unusual gentleness in Meta Knight's voice. He lowered his luminous eyes for a moment before continuing. "Something bad is going to happen. I can feel it, and I trust my intuition. Perhaps it would be best if you did not fight."

_I am not good enough._

Marth snapped, "I know what you mean, General Knight. Everyone thinks that I am worthless and inexperienced, and that I will lead them to their deaths." His voice faltered.

"Your Excellency, that is not true-"

"I am a failure. Be honest. I couldn't even tell if a simple map was upside-down or not!"

Judging by the fact that Meta Knight avoided his gaze, Marth knew that he was right. He clenched his fists and his sapphire-blue eyes burned with determination.

"I will not lead Shilla into defeat! I will not run! I will not hide! I will lead Shilla to victory!"he cried, glaring at Meta Knight with wide eyes.

The general looked at him with his glowing yellow eyes and smirked. "Now _that's _what I like to hear, Your Excellency."

…

Ike stood, staring down at Shilla's army. The two military forces glared at each other, and Ike spotted one leader of the Shilla side. He looked certainly formidable, with dark hair, strange luminous eyes, and a cold expression on his face. Beside him, a younger man stood. It was obvious that he was of a high position, and his sapphire eyes betrayed slight fear and sorrow.

Marth.

His heart twisted as he stared down at Marth. Ike grit his teeth, then raised his hand, signaling his forces to attack. Baekje's army roared in response, charging down the hill to meet with Shilla's army. Marth hesitantly raised his own hand and let out a battle cry, albeit a weak one. Ike led his sprinting forces, Link running by his side.

_I am so sorry._

Just as the two armies collided, Link let out a low whistle. At once, hundreds of smoke bombs were catapulted into the air, exploding among Shilla's ranks. The soldiers of Baekje plowed through the smoke easily; they'd been well-trained to fight in the clouded areas.

Ike leaped into the fray, moving in the smoke with great ease. The smell was horrid and it was hard to breathe, but he continued onward, killing any panicked Shilla soldier that he came across. It was true that he was a fantastic swordsman, but this was getting ridiculous.

_This is too easy._

He made a move step forward, but nearly tripped over a figure hunched over in the gloom. The person's breathing was labored and heavy, and Ike raised his sword to bring it down upon the fallen soldier. He suddenly jerked his head up to gaze at Ike, and he found himself staring into Marth's clouded eyes.

"Marth!"Ike gasped, and knelt down to get a better look at him.

The prince of Shilla, his face flushed from exertion, trembled and let out a small whimper. Ike scooped his limp form into his arms, and Marth didn't protest, much to his surprise. In fact, he'd slipped into unconsciousness.

Ike made a move to get Marth out of the smoke as fast as possible, but Link appeared suddenly, his sword at ready. He glanced at Ike, then at the prince in his arms.

Link didn't make a sound; he simply nodded at Ike, and he got the message.

"_Go ahead. Just come back safely."_

Ike got up from the ground as Link disappeared back into the thick smoke. He began to sprint away from the battle, running for high ground. However, Ike could've sworn that in the smoke behind him, a pair of yellow eyes was watching his every move.

…

_Marth gazed, shocked, at the two spirits before him. Sheik was there, her arms crossed and a dark look in her eyes, but the other spirit was gazing at him with warm yet fearful eyes._

"_Zelda!"he gasped, but he couldn't move his feet. Marth was stuck, rooted to the forest floor, his arms extended towards the shaman._

Does this mean... No. Zelda cannot be dead!

_Zelda only gave him a sad look, then began to disappear, her figure growing fainter and fainter by the second. Before she faded away completely, she mouthed a single word to him._

Goodbye.

"_Zelda? Zelda!"Marth shrieked._

"_Quiet down,"Sheik hissed, "She is gone now. To save your sorry soul, she's sacrificed her own life."_

_Marth was about to ask why, but he realized that the forest and Sheik was beginning to fade into a white nothingness. _

_Sheik gave him a half-hearted wave and said, "I'll be seeing you soon. Sooner than you realize."_

…

Marth's eyes flew open and he gasped, putting a hand to his heart. He found himself staring up at the leaves and branches of a single tree. Soft grass sprung out all around him.

"Am I dead?"he wondered out loud.

To his shock, a deep chuckle sounded from above him, and it was only then did Marth realize that his head was resting in someone else's lap. Slowly, he tilted his head to take a peek at the person who'd brought him there.

Blue hair, warm blue eyes, a cheeky grin, armor bearing the symbol of Baekje...

"Ike!"Marth gasped, then scrambled up. He frantically gazed at his surroundings, then at Ike again. Marth had recognized the place. It was where he'd met Ike; near the borderline of Shilla and Baekje's kingdoms. "Why am I here?!"

"Well, I kind of took you from the battle after you-"

Livid, Marth raised his hand and brought it down across Ike's cheek. The prince of Baekje sat there, gazing up at Marth as if the slap had no effect on him. To Marth's smug pleasure, Ike's cheek was red.

"Why did you take me away from my army?!"

Ike looked down and grumbled, "You were having an attack. You have a weak windpipe, don't you? Can't handle smoke, huh?"

Startled, Marth took a step back, his eyes wide. His lip began to tremble slightly in guilt, and he rushed forward, taking Ike's face in his hands.

"I'm sorry!"he cried, rubbing at Ike's cheek where he'd been struck, "I didn't know that you'd saved me from an attack! I'm so sorry, Your Excellency!"

"That was quite a mood swing,"Ike sighed, feigning exasperation, "You are a strange character, Prince Marth."

At once, Marth retreated, his head lowered. "Forgive me."

"You know, you don't have to treat me like a high-and-mighty person anymore,"Ike said, amused. "You're a prince too now."

"But-"

A flash of brilliant orange caught Marth's eye, and he could only gape at the young man that had emerged from the shadows. His gaze was sharp and suspicious as he glared at Ike, then at Marth.

"Well, _Your Excellency_, what do we have here?"he purred, his icy eyes glinting.

_Roy._

…

Ike glared at the other man. He had hair the color of flame and eyes as bright and cold as ice. The newcomer certainly seemed to be of the dangerous type, not to mention that Ike disliked the way that he glared at Marth. However, he did have the symbol of Shilla upon his armor, and by the way he held himself, Ike could tell he as a person of high status in Shilla's army.

"Roy,"Marth squeaked, blinking.

Roy frowned at Ike, his eyes narrowing. "Ah, I see that you've caught the prince of Baekje. What are you waiting for, Sire? Kill him while you have the chance!"

Marth stepped forward, his eyes hard. The wind howled, causing the leaves in the tree to rustle furiously. Ike's breath caught in his throat. Would Marth really kill him? He waited, his impatience growing, as Marth cleared his throat and swallowed.

"I... I can't."

Time seemed to freeze as Marth slowly spoke those words. Roy stared at the two princes with a look of shock and slight betrayal, his fist slowly clenching around his magnificent sword. It was too late before Ike realized what he was about to do.

"I'm sorry, Crown Prince Marth,"Roy said with resolve, "Baekje cannot win this war." He stepped closer to Ike, pushing Marth out of the way gently.

Ike saw a look of anger cross Marth's face. His eyes widened when he realized what Roy was about to do, and he let out a silent scream and dove for the soldier.

Roy raised his sword and brought it down towards Ike's chest, where it would surely leave him with a fatal wound. Ike closed his eyes calmly and waited for the excruciating pain that was sure to follow.

_Oh, so this is how it will end?_

Ike could practically see his life flash before his eyes. He saw his mother, his father, and his sister. All smiling. He saw himself and Link as children, and recalled how Link had bowed so deeply that he fell. Ike saw his father, becoming more and more stressed as the days had passed over the war. He saw himself, training constantly for the battles that were sure to come. Finally, Ike remembered the first day he'd ever met Marth. He remembered how his heart had been happy, but only for a short period of time before it had been shattered.

_I regret nothing._

The pain never came. All Ike could feel was something warm and sticky splattering across his cheek.

His eyes flew open in horror as he realized that the blood across his cheek wasn't his own.

**Grr. Again, sorry if this chapter isn't too great.**** Not to mention short.  
**

**I'll try to update as fast as possible!  
**

**Please review!  
**

**- Psychic  
**


	10. Waiting for You

**Hiya! I know, I said I'd update on Christmas. I apologize for that... I don't own anything. Enjoy!**

**Warning: This is the most rated T part of the story. T for blood. Also, several character deaths and a kingdom's death as well.  
**

Ike watched, horror-struck, as Marth slowly sank to his knees, kneeling before Roy. Marth then leaned backwards, giving Ike barely enough time to catch the bloodied prince.

_Marth... He saved me again._

It had all happened so fast. Ike had simply been awaiting his death when Marth, as fast as ever, leaped in front of Roy's sword and took the fatal blow for himself.

Roy staggered away, his eyes wide with disbelief. "No..." His sword, which was drenched in a terrifying red, clattered to the ground.

Marth smiled vaguely at him. "Go, Roy. Live to be the ruler of Shilla. Go now, before Ike kills you."

"Sire..."

"Now. That's an order!"he said sharply before letting out a hollow cough.

Ike barely noticed Roy as he melted away into the shadows, bowing regretfully one last time. It was as if the world had ceased to exist anymore, and Ike was having a hard time focusing on the present.

_Why?_

Ike snapped into reality when Marth turned his head up to gently smile at him. Blood began to trickle from his mouth as he whispered, "You sure can get yourself into a lot of trouble, Your Excellency."

"Marth,"Ike hissed, "Why?" He frantically began to put pressure over the large, gaping wound in Marth's abdomen.

"Wouldn't you do the same? Don't you know,"Marth murmured, "that I... love you?"

Ike clenched his teeth and began to inwardly panic as the light in Marth's eyes grew dimmer. "Don't leave me,"he begged, desperately trying in vain to stop the blood flowing any longer.

"Don't worry... I truly am happy right now. I have no regrets." Marth retched suddenly, coughing up a fountain of red.

"Marth..."

The prince of Shilla weakly reached up and pressed his lips against Ike's, preventing him from saying anything more. Under normal circumstances, Ike would've been delighted to be kissing Marth, but now all he could register was the salty, metallic tang of blood on Marth's lips.

Marth slowly broke away and smiled up at Ike in a feeble way. "I'll be waiting for you,"he rasped. His sapphire eyes then closed, never to open again.

_Wait... You can't die now. I didn't tell you... that I love you._

Ike gingerly removed his hands from Marth's wound, his eyes wide. It was only then did he allow the tears to roll down his cheeks and splash onto Marth's.

Ike remained at the hill the rest of the night, keeping vigil. To him, nothing really mattered anymore. Everything was numb. He simply sat beside Marth's body and glared up at the sky in an unforgiving manner.

There was no moon that night.

…

_Marth's eyes flew open, and he once again found himself in the forest where Sheik dwelled._

"_Sheik?"_

_His guardian seemed to appear out of thin air. "Well, it's about time. I thought you'd never die,"she scoffed. However, underneath her contemptuous expression, Marth could see a strange sorrow flash in her eyes._

_Marth nonchalantly observed his hands. "What will happen to me now that I'm dead?"_

_Sheik chuckled darkly. "Oh, you can't go to heaven yet. Oh no, oh no. You've made a promise, and heaven-worthy people are ones that don't break promises."_

_The deceased prince nodded thoughtfully. "I'll wait, as long as it takes. In fact, I hope that I'll have to wait forever to pass into the gates of heaven. I don't want His Excellency to die."_

"_Whether you want him to or not, he's going to die in one way or another."_

"_Please do not jinx it, Sheik."_

_Sheik waved her hand in dismissal. "Oh, I know how and when he'll die in any case."_

_Marth turned his head slightly to glare at his guardian, then realized that she was slowly fading. "Sheik?!"_

"_Ah, my duty is done. I am no longer your guardian, my dearest,"she purred, then gave him a small, mocking wave before adding, "See you in heaven..."_

_She disappeared._

…

Link gaped at the figure approaching Baekje's encampment, his eyes wide with shock.

"Crown Prince Ike!"

The prince was in a horrific state, and Link could only hope that the blood that covered his face and hands was not his own. His eyes were unusually dull, and he seemed weighed down with loss.

_Why is Crown Prince Ike in such a sorrowful mood?_

"Sire, what happened? Are you alright?"

"He's gone,"the prince rasped, "He's gone forever."

"... Gone?"

"Just to save my sorry, petty life,"Ike hissed, clenching his shaking fists.

Link hesitantly murmured, "Who is 'he'"?

"Marth, prince of Shilla."

…

Several days had passed since Marth's passing. Baekje had won four battles so far, but even so, the odds of them winning were very low indeed. Shilla had managed to get the Chinese Tang soldiers onto their side. Baekje's forces had caused severe casualties to the Shilla, but even Ike doubted that it would be enough now.

_Dirty Shilla, stooping low enough to ask the _Chinese_ for help!_

Ike knew that Baekje was alone in this war, and that Shilla had been sly in getting allies. Along with the Tang forces, Goguryeo, the biggest kingdom on the Korean peninsula, was also allied with Shilla.

Before battle, Ike spoke with his army. They gathered all before him, their faces grim with determination.

"I want to thank you all for your dedication and sacrifice,"Ike had said clearly, "and I want to apologize. The war is ending soon, and I could be just leading all of you to your deaths. However, I will ask you all to do one thing. Do not be distracted. Do not be discouraged. Do not be afraid. Someday we will all die. Everyone's fate is death, whether they like it or not. Live in the moment. Do your best, persevere, and have no fear! Why? We are the soldiers of Baekje!"

Although they knew that death was approaching them, they roared in approval. Link smiled beside him, and Ike knew then that he could never have a better army.

Ike thought all of this while staring out at the impossibly vast stretch of soldiers, all bearing the symbol of Shilla on their armor and flags.

It was time.

As he raised his hand for the start of battle, Ike caught Roy's eye. He was standing in the front of his line of forces, along with the yellow-eyed general. They made eye contact, and there was an unspoken message: _I will not kill you_.

Ike brought his hand down and let out a blood-curling howl.

…

_Marth slowly picked his way down to the human world, along with a few other spirits. A small boy trotted alongside him and talked to him on the way down. He bore a remarkable resemblance to General Link._

"_You see, I'm General Link's little brother,"he said proudly, "I'm going to be bringing him to heaven."_

"_Ah, no wonder. You look just like him,"Marth replied softly. He tried to concentrate on getting down and listening to the boy's chatter instead of watching the horrific war below._

_The boy continued. "My name is Toonie. What's yours? Who are you fetching?"_

"_My name is Marth,"he said fluidly. There was no need for titles in death. "I am greeting Crown Prince Ike."_

_Toonie smiled. "Are you two brothers? You sure seem like it."_

_Marth turned his head to smirk at the young boy. "No. We are lovers."_

…

Ike was exhausted. No matter how many soldiers he killed, they just kept coming in waves, as strong as ever.

In fact, he stood alone now, bleeding profusely from innumerable wounds. All of his soldiers had been slaughtered. Link had died bravely, fighting back-to-back with Ike. Like a friend all the way to the end.

Ike knew that he was going to die. He fought off the next wave of soldiers with great difficulty, earning a mortal wound in the process. Slowly sinking to his knees, just as Marth did, he looked up at the eerie general to make eye contact.

_Can you see me, Shilla? Can you see me, general? Can you see me, Marth?_

To his final surprise, the general gazed straight back. His luminous eyes held respect, and he gave a last, subtle bow.

Ike smiled and threw back his head, tilting back to lay flat on the blood-soaked battleground. His vision was getting blurry, and then suddenly, all was white.

It was a bit cold for Ike's comfort, but he could vaguely see something approaching through the whiteness. In fact, it was a slender man, dressed in all white.

_Ah, it must be an angel or spirit._

Marth stretched out his hand to Ike, gazing warmly down at him.

"I've been waiting for you."

Ike took his hand and stood, walking hand-in-hand with Marth straight up to the gateway of heaven, never once looking back.

**Whew, I'm glad I got that over with... T-T**

**Well, I can't just leave them there... Or can I?  
**

**Don't worry, I may do an epilogue. If I feel like it. I'm pretty satisfied with the ending.  
**

**Also, this story does have a ring of truth to it. The kingdom of Baekje (백제) did fall to Shilla (신라) in 660 AD. Although the war was not started by a shaman. Two princes did not lead the war either. Instead, two generals fought, General Gyebaek of Baekje and General Kim Yu-shin of Shilla. The Korean drama, _Gyebaek_, is about this war.  
**

**Please review!  
**

**- Psychic  
**


	11. Epilogue

**Hiya! I've finally decided to write an epilogue... What, you thought I was just going to leave it at that (although I was thinking about it)? I don't own anything. Enjoy!**

_Gyeongju_,_ South Korea_

_Year: 2012_

Ike sat on the steps of the park, holding a bundle of paper work in his right hand. In the other hand, he held his history book and was opened to the history of Baekje. He'd been given the ancient kingdom as a topic to research over spring break, and he didn't find it fun at all.

"Let's see,"he drawled and began to read out loud, "The kingdom of Baekje fell in 660 AD to the kingdom of Shilla. The battle occurred at Hwangsanbeol, with Crown Prince Ike leading the forces."

_Huh. The old prince had the same name as me._

Ike stopped reading about Baekje's fall for a moment and flipped through the pages of his textbook to find the former prince's history. He began to read about Baekje's last prince.

"Little is known about Crown Prince Ike's life, including his date and place of birth. While he is shrouded in mystery, it is known that he led Baekje's army to fall in 660 AD. He was said to have been an incredible military leader, only losing to Shilla due to the fact that Baekje's army was smaller. Also, there is some legend around his love life as well. Crown Prince Ike never married, and was rather young when he was killed in the Battle of Hwangsanbeol, but a strange rumor has been carried down throughout the generations of South Koreans." Ike leaned back on the stairs, deep in thought.

_That's weird._

He shook his head and sighed, continuing his studying. "Rumor has it that the crown prince loved a member of the Shilla Royal Family. Supposedly, that person died, leaving him heartbroken. He led his army into the Battle of Hwangsanbeol afterwards and died there."

_Somehow, I find that saddening._

Ike sighed and put his textbook down. Although he lived in Seoul, he'd come to Gyeongju, which was rich in history, to study there. His cell phone rang suddenly, and he sighed again, staring at the lighted screen.

_Dad._

When he picked up, a slightly worried and annoyed voice came through. "Ike? Did you get that case settled?"

"Dad, he's fine."

"Did you?!"

"Yeah. I'm meeting him right now to apologize again, okay?"

"Good. I just called to ask you that."

Ike let out an aggravated huff. "In that case, _bye_." He promptly hung up and stuffed his cell phone back into his pocket.

…

Marth leaned his head against the window of the crowded bus, his history textbook open in his lap. The city of Gyeongju had a lot of historical buildings throughout, and he had looked up from his studying to admire them.

_I'm lucky that I even got a seat on this bus._

It was too crowded for Marth's liking, but it would have to do. He coughed lightly and looked down to read about the kingdom of Shilla.

"_In 660 AD, Shilla sought the help of the Tangs and was able to bring an end to the kingdom of Baekje. General Meta Knight greatly helped Shilla in winning the war, along with King Roy."_

Marth skimmed through the pages; he'd already learned this material during grade school. Suddenly, a name seemed to jump out at him, and he reread that certain name.

_Crown Prince Marth._

This name sparked Marth's curiosity, and he quickly proceeded to read the short paragraph about him.

"_Crown Prince Marth was King Cornelius's one and only son and heir before he died suddenly in 660 AD, leaving King Roy, a noble then, to become the heir. Little is known about this particular prince, although studies show that he did disappear mysteriously when he was around ten years of age, then reappeared about a decade later. It is known that he did fight in the war between Baekje and Shilla, but it is also known that he mysteriously died before the Battle of Hwangsanbeol. Somehow, he is tied to the life of Crown Prince Ike of Baekje."_

Marth was forced to stop reading there; his stop had arrived. He was meeting a young man at a historical park at his request. How they became acquainted was actually an accident.

He'd been about to cross the street when he noticed that a car was about to speed by. Obviously, the driver was paying no attention to the stop lights.

A young man didn't seem to notice the car and was nonchalantly crossing the street, unable to hear anyone due to the earphones in his ears. Marth didn't know why, but he had sprinted across the crosswalk as fast as he could, pushing the other man out of harm just in time.

Unfortunately, he'd been injured severely on his left shoulder, causing Marth to scar there permanently. The man that he'd saved had already apologized countless of time, feeling that it was his fault, but Marth had only told him that he was happy for his safety, much to the man's confusion.

Marth delicately hopped out of the bus as he thought about this and was careful not to inhale any of the smoke coming from the engine; it wouldn't be good have an asthma attack right there on the street.

He thought that the man would've been there already, but he saw no one as he approached the park.

_What kind of person invites someone to a place, then doesn't show up on time?!_

Marth tapped his foot impatiently as a crowd of tourists passed by, blocking his view of anything in the park. He tried to crane his head to see if the man was waiting for him yet, but the crowd simply swept all of his vision of the park away. When the crowd finally passed, he saw that a young man now sat on the steps leading up to the park, reading from a thick book, so he promptly marched up to the man and coughed lightly.

"Excuse me."

The man looked up and grinned widely. "Hello there." He closed his thick book and, placing his chin in his hands, gazed up at Marth in an almost love-struck way.

Marth was a bit miffed at his nonchalant attitude. "Where have you been? I've been waiting for you..." He quickly searched his mind for the man's name in slight panic. The man's sharp blue eyes were staring at him in an unnerving way, which caused Marth to blush slightly.

_What was it?! I... I... Ike!_

He repeated what he said. "I've been waiting for you, Ike."

Ike took Marth's free hand almost teasingly, which caused him to immediately flush a deep red. "What are you talking about, Marth? I've been here the whole time."

**That's it, folks!**

**Also, I want to thank Mika-Chan, EchoingBreeze, wolfeclipse25, AnimePearlVoice, Pandamonium2, Black maid56, Ike's lil sister, Super Serious Gal 3, halleslinky, superblooper, Girl, FujoshiNinjaNumber6, Mana, The Happy Riolu, and Link's Little Brother for all of their reviews and support!**

**Thanks to all of you again!  
**

**Please review!  
**

**- Psychic  
**


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